map of the site - other languages - contents

World Citizenship - Registry of World Citizens - ASCOP - Peoples Congress

Esperanto

Français

English

Español

Agenda - White Paper - Inventories - Charter - Documents
World Charter of Migrants
Proclaimed by World Assembly of Migrants in Goree (Senegal) February 4, 2011
Adopted by the World Citizens Assembly (ASCOP) in Paris, January 26, 2013
"Migrants are the targets of unjust policies." These policies, to the detriment of universally recognized human rights, create opposition among human beings using discriminatory policies, based on national preference, ethnic, religious affiliation and gender.

These policies are imposed by conservative and hegemonic systems, which seek to maintain their privileges by exploiting the physical and intellectual skills of the migrant work force. These policies use the extravagant prerogatives permitted by the arbitrary power of the Nation-State and the global domination system inherited from colonialism and deportation. This system is out of date, obsolete and generates crimes against humanity. This is the reason why it should be abolished.

Security policies implemented by Nation-States imply that migration is a problem and a threat even though migration is a natural, historical fact, complex, of course, but far from being a calamity for the country of residence, often constituting an invaluable economic, social and cultural contribution.

Migrants are everywhere deprived of the full exercise of their right to freedom of movement and installation on our planet.

They are also deprived of their rights to peace as well as their economic, social, cultural, civic and political rights which are guaranteed by various international conventions.

Only a broad alliance of migrants will be able to promote the emergence of new rights for every person from birth without distinction of origin, color, sex, or belief. To do this, this alliance of migrants must enable them to contribute to the construction of a new social and economic policy based on ethical principles.. It should also allow them to contribute to a remaking of the concept of territoriality and the current dominant global governance pattern based on its economic and ideological system.

This is why we, migrants of all the world, from the proposals we have received since 2006 and after a broad discussion on a global scale, adopt the present World Charter of Migrants.

Our ambition is to advance from the situations faced by migrants in the world to the right to move and settle freely on our planet and to contribute to the construction of a world without walls.

To do this, we, migrants who have left our region or country, under duress or by our own volition and live permanently or temporarily in another part of the world, met on 3 and 4 February 2011 on the island of Gorée in Senegal

We proclaim

Because we belong to the Earth, every person has the right to choose his place of residence, of staying where she lives or to move and settle freely without constraints in any part of this world..

Any person, without exception, has the right to move freely from the countryside to the city, from the city to the countryside, from one province to another. Every person has the right to leave any country to another and return.

All provisions and restrictions limiting the freedom of movement and installation should be repealed (laws relating to visas, pass-laws and permissions, and all other laws relating to freedom of movement).

Migrant people around the world should enjoy the same rights as nationals and citizens of the country of residence or transit and assume the same responsibilities in all key areas of economic, political, cultural, social and educational life. They must have the right to vote and to be eligible for any legislative bodies at the local, regional, and national level and to assume their responsibilities until the end of the mandate.

Migrant persons shall have the right to speak and share their mother tongue, to develop and publicize their cultures and their traditional customs, with the exception of any damage to the physical and moral integrity of individuals and respect for human rights. Migrant persons shall have the right to practice their religion and their ceremonies.

Migrants should enjoy the right to have a business where they wish, to engage in work or any business or profession in the same way as the citizens of the home and transit countries in order to assume their share of responsibility in the production of wealth necessary for the development and wellbeing of all.

Work and security must be provided to all migrants. Anyone who works must be free to join a trade union with others. Migrants must receive an equal salary for equal work, and must have the possibility to transfer the fruits of their work, social benefits and to enjoy retirement, without any restrictions. All this, while contributing to the system of solidarity to the residence or transit country.

Access of the services of banks and financial institutions shall be provided to all migrant people in the same way that they are accorded to nationals and citizens of the host country.

Everyone has the right to land, be they men or women. Earth must be divided between those who live and work there. Use and land ownership restrictions for national, ethnic and gender reasons must be abolished in favor of a new vision of the relationship between humans and the Earth, and in compliance with the requirements of sustainable development.

Migrants, in the same way as nationals and citizens of the country of residence or transit, shall be equal before the law. No person shall be sequestered, imprisoned, deported or restricted until his case is fairly heard and defended in a language of his choice.

Migrants have the right to physical integrity and not to be harassed, deported, persecuted, arbitrarily arrested or killed because of their status or because they are defending their rights.

Any law which provides for discrimination based on national origin, gender, marital status or legal situation as well as beliefs should be repealed, whatever the status of the person.

Human rights are inalienable and indivisible and must be the same for all. The law must ensure to all migrant people the right to freedom of expression, the right to organize, the right to freedom of Assembly, as well as the right to publish.

Access to care and medical assistance must be guaranteed to all migrant people in the same way as to nationals and citizens of countries of reception and transit, with special attention to vulnerable people. A migrant person living with a disability must be guaranteed the right to health, social and cultural rights.

The law must guarantee to all migrants the right to choose their partner, to found a family and to live a family life. Family reunification may not be denied and a person cannot be separated or kept away from their children.

Women, especially, must be protected against all forms of violence and trafficking. They have the right to control their own bodies and to reject the exploitation thereof. They should enjoy reinforced protection of labor, maternal and child health conditions, as well as in the case of changes in their legal and marital status

Minor migrants must be protected by the national laws on protection of children in the same way as nationals and citizens of countries of residence and transit. The right to education and training must be guaranteed.

Access to education and instruction, from pre-school to higher education should be guaranteed for migrants and their children. The education must be free and equal for all children. Higher education and technical training must be accessible to all in a new vision of dialogue and the sharing of cultures. In cultural life, sports and education, any distinction based on national origin must be abolished.

Migrants must have right to housing. Any person shall have the right to live in the place of his choice, to be decently housed and to have access to property as well as keeping his family in the comfort and safety in the same way as nationals and citizens of home and transit countries.

All migrants must be guaranted the right to sufficient and healthy food and the right of access to water.

Migrant people wish to have opportunities and responsibilities, in the same way as nationals and citizens of home and transit countries to face together the challenges (housing, food, health and development).

"We, migrants, are committed to respect and promote the values and principles expressed above and thus contribute to the disappearance of any system of segregation and the advent of a responsible, plural and United World."

We the People's Congress Delegates elected by an electorate globally distributed in 114 countries, with the authority specified in Article 21-3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

  • confirm that the texts and projects presented today citizens legitimate aspirations materialize in view of this Declaration,
  • ask all leaders in all spheres concerned to take into account these aspirations, texts and projects,
  • ask the future World Constituent Assembly to integrate into the global constitution these texts and their philosophy projects or as components of the rule of law and a world order in which the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights can be fully realized.

These texts, and projects were voted in our presence by the Assembly with consultative status with the People's Congress, by our signature, we want to give them the force of law.

we ask

  • all organs of civil society to ensure the publication
  • and the Executive Committee of the People's Congress to ensure its implementation

In Paris, January 26, 2013

signed : Roger Winterhalter, Marie-Françoise Lamperti, Yves Angelloz

Charter adopted by the Delegates elected to the People's Congress :

  1. Abdelli Amokrane Mohamed (08/08/2011)
  2. Marie-Louise Duboin (21/02/2011)
  3. Roger Winterhalter (26/01/2013)
  4. Gilliane Le Gallic
  5. Landing Niassy
  6. Vincent Peingnez
  7. Yves Angelloz
  8. Marie-Françoise Lamperti
  9.  

 

About the Site