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The rights of migrant workers

During the past fifty years and with the growing problems of poverty and unemployment in some developing countries, and the need of rich countries to cheap labor for the development of their economies, some developing countries were keen to use the export of labor as a source for the foreign currency which they need. The returns of the migrant workers are the second largest sources of outside funding for the developing countries.
Migrant workers are subjected to the ugliest form of exploitation and deprivation of their human rights, particularly the rights enjoyed by their fellow workers from the citizens of the host countries. Migrant workers are often deprived of legal protection and the rights to association and the formation of trade unions. The number of migrant workers increases every year by about six million workers. Their number has reached over 175 million migrant workers, of which women constitute a percentage of 49%. The number of women who travel alone increases, because they are the main source of livelihood for their families. Also, the percentage of illegal immigrants is between 10-15% of the total number of migrants. And, according to Organization for Migration, the volume of illegal immigration in EU countries is about 1.5 million individuals. These workers, who do not have legal immigration or work papers to work in the host countries, are exposed to the worst treatment and to the violation of their rights. They often refuse to apply for the protection of the law and do not go to the authorities for fear of deportation or imprisonment or both. Typically, the migrant workers work in low, difficult, or dangerous jobs, and the women workers among them are vulnerable to exploitation more than men, as migrant women are mostly used in domestic service, entertainment services, and the sex trade. They are often subjected to sexual harassment and rape in host countries without any protection. The spread of the phenomenon has been accompanied by the emergence of gangs and travel brokers who trick young victims and take large sums of money from them to facilitate the process of their illegal emigration by sea. The flight of the young people ends either by death or imprisonment and deportation. As a result of the lack of awareness among these young people of the dangers of illegal immigration, they die on their way to European ports, as the boats they are traveling on are old and dilapidated. And, even the ones who survive and reach the shores of Europe are considered outlaws, and are brought back home to their countries in the most humiliated way. Illegal migration has become a black market for trafficking human beings.
We stress that there are many roles for all organizations and governmental and non-governmental bodies to stop this phenomenon, the most important of which are the following:
• The need for coordination between ministries and bodies concerned, in order to prepare a map of the required labor market outside Egypt
• The regularization of illegal Egyptian immigrants in a way that serves the economic conditions of both of the host country and our country.
• Expanding the circle of regional and bilateral agreements between Egypt and the European Union, and to try to reach the best frameworks that contribute to the stability of labor markets and migration in the European countries.
• The need for joint cooperation between the Ministry of Migration and other ministries to implement a national campaign for Egyptian youth employment who would like to migrate.
• The need for cooperation between the governments of the South and the Governments of the EU as partners, without resorting to security measures alone for solving the problems of migration.