DUSHANBE, December 18, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Like other countries of the world Tajikistan marks International Migrants Day today.

December 18 (the day on which the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families was adopted by the UN) was designated by the UN General Assembly in 2000, as a day for reflection on the struggles of all migrant workers, a day to share and disseminate information on their current situations, and a day for states to make commitments to future efforts to ensure respect for migrant workers human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In his message on occasion of International Migrants Day, Director-General of the International Labor Office, Mr. Juan Somavia noted, “Today we recognize the 200 million international migrants, 50 per cent of whom are women and men migrant workers, who have left their homes and communities to find work and better opportunities elsewhere in the world to support their families and communities.  They make huge but often unrecognized contributions to growth and development of both their host countries and home communities.”

According to him, the current global financial and economic crises have serious implications for migrant workers worldwide.  “Past experience makes us painfully aware that migrant workers, especially women workers and those in irregular status, are among the hardest hit and most vulnerable during crisis situations. While the full impact of the crisis on migrant workers is yet to unfold, there are reports of direct layoffs, worsening working conditions including wage cuts, increasing returns, and reductions in immigrant intakes,” said Mr. Somavia, “Yet all sectors may not be equally affected, and destination countries should assess their labor market needs before resorting to general layoffs of migrant workers. It is important that migrant workers do not become scapegoats for the current financial and economic crisis.”

The message, in particular, noted that source countries are already grappling with the challenges of employment creation for their citizens including increasing numbers of return migrants and falling remittances. The integrated strategy for decent work contained in the 2008 ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization provides us with a solid foundation in addressing the current crisis.

Availability of decent work opportunities at home would also pave the way for migration by choice, not by necessity, the ILO director general said.

In the meantime, according to Tajik Interior Ministry migration service, some 600,000 Tajik seasonal workers travel abroad each year, primarily to Russia but also to neighboring Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.  However, many of them will have to return home as Russian authorities in early December proposed, in light of the ongoing financial crisis, reduction of quotas for foreign workers.