The UN Committee on Migrant Workers has published its findings on the countries it examined during its latest session from 2 to 11 September 2019: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Colombia.
They are among the 55 States parties to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. As such, they are required to submit regular reports to the Committee, which is composed of 14 international independent human rights experts.
The findings, officially termed concluding observations, contain positive aspects of how the respective State is doing with regard to implementation of the Convention and also main matters of concern and recommendations.
While welcoming Bosnia and Herzegovina’s efforts to promote and protect the rights of Bosnian migrant workers abroad and in the State party, in particular with respect to the right to vote and reintegration support, the Committee recommends that Bosnia and Herzegovina ensure that the rights enshrined in the Convention are guaranteed in all parts of the federal State and within its jurisdiction, without any limitation or exception.
Full implementation of the Convention at the legislative, administrative and practical levels was still hindered due to the complexity of the State party’s constitutional structure and the difficulties of the federal Government to carry out legal reforms in some parts of the State party.
Raising concerns about the State party’s insufficient border management capacities, including the lack of infrastructure at border-crossing points, as well as the living conditions at the informal Vucjak camp near Bihać, the Committee also recommends that Bosnia and Herzegovina increase its capacity in this regard to ensure respect for the human rights of all migrants, regardless of their status.
