UN Special Rapporteur Felipe González Morales has expressed concern over the risk of human rights violations of women migrant workers.
Speaking at a press conference held in a Dhaka hotel on Wednesday, the special rapporteur said there are a lot of challenges including taking steps to stop additional recruitment charges, strong monitoring, boosting consular services available, ensuring justice, making skilled migrants, etc.
CourtesyFelipe González Morales has suggested the Bangladesh government to protect the human rights of migrant workers by establishing proper controls from the beginning of the migration process and investigating those involved in human rights abuses.
However, he thanked the Bangladesh government for addressing these challenges through existing immigration policies, including the establishment of a database of migrant workers as well as regulation of middlemen during the recruitment process.
“Destination countries – most of them in the Middle East – must also take an active role in investigating and sanctioning perpetrators of human rights violations against Bangladeshi migrant workers,” the special rapporteur said in a statement.
UN expert thanks Bangladesh for hosting Rohingya refugees
The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants Felipe González Morales visited Bangladesh on January 20-31.
During his visit, he travelled to Cox's Bazar to meet with Rohingya refugees.
In a statement, González Morales praised Bangladesh for receiving nearly one million Rohingyas escaping from Myanmar and said he was impressed by the resilience of the Rohingya refugees – some of whom have been living in camps for over five years, and others 30 years since first arrivals in the early 1990s.
“A durable solution for all Rohingya refugees is critical,” the UN expert said.
He expressed concern about the lack of legal status for Rohingyas, and noted that children who are born in the camps he visited are not issued an official birth certificate.
The expert also called on the authorities to facilitate permits to improve access to education through learning centres and life skills training which many Rohingyas have praised and welcomed as a means to a more hopeful and dignified life.
He also noted the need to upgrade the quality of housing in the camps particularly in light of the impact of climate change that have resulted in fire and flooding incidents.
