Strengthen legal framework to protect migrants and refugees: APHR

KUALA LUMPUR: Regional governments need to do more to protect migrant workers and refugees by strengthening domestic and regional legal frameworks, a member of Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said today.
Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Teddy Baguilat said both destination and source countries need to step up and do their part to end abusive recruitment and employment practices for migrant workers and promote security and rights for refugees fleeing persecution.
"Asean and member governments have a duty to ensure that everyone, whether their own citizens or those from other countries are protected.
"This should include strengthening domestic and regional legal frameworks to provide security and enable people to pursue recourse and justice," he said in a press conference at Parliament Building here today.
Meanwhile, the Philippines congresswoman Emmi De Jesus said there was a need for regional action to ensure that all migrants were able to enjoy their basic human rights.
"We call the Asean governments to urgently adopt a binding regional treaty on migrant workers, which protects all workers and their families," she said.
They were here for a fact-finding mission to Malaysia examining human rights in the context of migration. — Bernama