THE 4Th ASIA HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM

THE 4th ASIA HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM

Migrant Workers’ Economic Contributions, the Social and Cultural Effects in Asia and Local Perception of Migrant Workers in Asia

INVITATION

It has been 18 years since International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers

and Members of Their Families was enacted. The Convention officially entered into foracece on July 1. 2003. By December 17, 2008, forty countries had ratified this convention. However, South Korea, with 570,000 migrant workers in residence, has not yet signed this Convention.

Many migrant workers have made great contribution to the destination countries. However, their contribution

has not been estimated fairly. The 4th Asia Human Rights Forum will re-evaluate migrant workers’ contributions and their social and cultural effects in Asia. Also with comparison of local perceptions on migrant workers in several Asian countries, we plan to explore ways to develop migrant workers’ rights in Asia.

We welcome all of you and hope you will join us in igniting the light of human rights in Asia.

January 2009

Benjamin H. YoonMan-Ho Heo DirectorPresident, The Asia Center for Human Rights

Homayoun Alizadehlizadeh Regional Representative for South-East Asia, UN OHCHR

Hyong-Nam Bhang Director, The Hwangjeong Peace Foundation• The Institute 21 For Peace Studies, The Dong-A Ilbo

Sachiko Yamamoto Director, ILO regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Byungki Kim Associate Dean, Korea University Graduate School of International Studies

Organized by : The Asia Center for Human Rights, Regional Office of The UN OHCHR in South-Easte Asia, ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Korea University Graduate School of International Studies, The Hwajeong Peace-Foundation•The Institute 21 for Peace Studies, The Dong-A Ilbo
Sponsored by : The Dong-A Ilbo, Samsung Electronics, Korean Air, SBS, MBC
Date : : February 17, 2009 09:00 ~ 18:00
Venue : #214, International Studies Hall, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea

PROVISIONAL

AGENDA

09:00Registration

09:30-10:30OPENING SESSION

Moderators :

Jae Won Chief, the Education and Training Department of the ACHR /

Professor,Handong International Law School, South Korea

■ Opening Address

Man-Ho HeoEO Director, The AsiaCenter for Human Rights / Professor, Kyungpook National University,South Korea

■Welcoming Address

Sachiko YamamotoManolo Abella DirectorChief Technical Advise, r,ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Thailand

■Congratulatory Remarks

Hak-Jun Kim Chairman, The Dong-A Ilbo,South Korea

Byungki Kim Ki-Soo Kim Associate Dean of President, KoreaUniversity Graduate School of International Studies, South Korea

■Keynote Speech : Homayoun AlizadehlizadehLIZADEH Regional Representative for Southeast Asia, UN OHCHR, Thailand

Appeals for migrant workers’ rights as contributing members to societies of localcommunities in various destination countries throughout Asia. Migrant Workers should be accepted positively and this type of campaign should be expanded throughout Asia.

10:30-12:30SESSION ONE: Focusing on South Korea

Moderator :

Donghoon Seol Professor , Chonbuk National University, South Korea

Presentations:

■Analysis on South Koreans’ Concept of Migrant Workers and the Social and Cultural Effect on South Korean Society

In-Jin Yoon Professor, Korea University, South Korea

■Migrant Workers’ Contributions to the South Korean Economy

Dr. Baek-Seouk Song Professor, Korea University, South Korea

■Migrant Workers’ Legal Status – Labor Union Rights, Civil and Political Rights, Social and Cultural Rights

Pil-kyu Hwang Lawyer, Korean Public Interest Lawyers’ Group, Gong-Gam,

South Korea

■Policy Suggestions Based on the Survey of South Koreans’ Concept of

Migrant Workers, New Program Development on Concept Change of

Migrant Workers

Jue Young Song Senior Researcher, the AsiaCenter for Human Rights, South Korea

Discussant

Korean Government Policy on Migrant Workers

Jungdo Kim Deputy Director of Residence Policy Team, Ministry of Justice, South Korea

Homayoun Alizadehlizadeh LIZADEH Regional Representative for Southeast Asia, UN OHCHR, Thailand

12:30-14:00Luncheon

14:00-16:00SESSION TWO:

Focusing on Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand– Comparison of three destination countries on the issue of migrant workers’ economic contributions and the social cultural effects in their respective countries

Moderator :

Changrok SohOH Associate Director, The AsiaCenter for Human Rights/

ProfessorDean, KoreaUniversityGraduateSchool of International Studies, South Korea

Presentations:

■ Thailand: Adisorn Keadmongkol Professor, Thammsast University, Thailand

■Japan:Japanese government policy on Migrant workers and the social

status of these workers regarding labor union rights, and civil,

political and cultural rights.".

Takaya SachiTorii Ippei Vice Secretary General, Solitarydarity Network withofMigrantss

Japan(SMJ), Japan Migrants Japan, Japan

Migrant Workers' economic contributions and social and

cultural effects in Japan

Tobayashi MasaoKobayashiCandidate for Ph.D in International Relations, Waseda Universtiy, Japan

■Taiwan: Taiwanese government’s policy on migrant workers, and the social status of these workers regarding labor union rights, and civil, political, social and cultural rights

Ching-JuWu Secretary General, TIWA (Taiwan International Workers’ Association), Taiwan

Migrant workers’ economic contribution and their social and cultural effects on Taiwan

Wang Hong Zen Professor, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan

■ Thailand: Thai government policy on migrant workers and their social and cultural effect

Adisorn Keadmongkol, Thammasasat University, Thailand

■ ILO : Successful destination country model in Europe – desirable policy" Discussant

Successful Destination Country Model in Europe

Tim de MeyerManolo Abella Chief Technical Adviser, ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Thailand

DiThailandscussants : Hyungbok Chae Professor, Kyungpook National University, South Korea

Chulhyo Kim IOM project coordinator, South Korea

16:00-16:10Break

16:10-18:00SESSION THREE: Strategy Discussion

Moderator :

Homayoun AlizadehlizadehLIZADEH Regional Representative for Southeast Asia, UN OHCHR,

Thailand

Discussants : Adisorn Keadmongkol, Masao Kobayashi, Wang Hong Zen,

Tim de Meyer, Lawyer Pil-Kyu Hwang, In-Jin Yoon

Representatives from each of four countries will discuss or recommend the desirable policies for the development of local people’s concepts on migrant workers.

Each discussant may suggest new programs for local people’s perception change on migrant workers.

18:00-18:30 CONCLUDING SESSION

Moderator :

Jae Won Chief of the Education and Training Department, ACHR / Professor,

Handong International Law School, South Korea

Conclusions and Recommendations

Man-Ho HeoEO Director, The AsiaCenter for Human Rights / Professor, Kyungbookpook National University,South Korea

Closing Remarks

Benjamin H. Yoon President, The AsiaCenter for Human Rights, South Korea

For registration, please fill out the registration form available at our Forum website or send the attached registration form via e-mail or fax by February 6, Friday.

Forum website: _HR_Forum/4th/

E-mail:

Fax: 82-2-723-1671

For inquiries, please contact Ms. Jeonglim Kim, forum coordinator.

Phone: 82-2-723-1673

E-mail:

Website:

The AsiaCenter for Human Rights

Established in January 2006, the AsiaCenter for Human Rights (ACHR) is a region-wide human rights research and education organization based in Seoul, South Korea. The ACHR’s activities are divided into threemain categories:

1)A regional campaign toraise the common human rights issues occurring in Asia and establish a regional human rights mechanism.

2)Human rights training, which enables Koreans and migrant residents in Korea to enhance their understanding of human rights and to contribute to the promotion of human rights in their respective communities.

3)Awareness raising efforts to bring national attention to the human rights situation in Asia, in order to bring consensus among the Korean society for more active civic engagement of human rights improvement in Asia.

From these main activities, the ACHR hopes to improve the human rights situation in Asia, and bring freedom and democracy to the region. The activities are performed through the programs listed below. For details of each program, please refer to our website at

ACHR Programs:

 The Asia Human Rights Forum

 The Annual Workshop for Young Human Rights Activists

 Introductory Course on Human Rights

 Advanced Course on Human Rights

(Officially designated as a graduate course at KoreaUniversity)

 Morning Lectures on Human Rights in Asia

 ACHR Field Study Tour

 Publications:

- Human Rights Education Materials

- Weekly HURASIA

- ACHR E-Newsletter

 Internship Program

※ Contact Information for Ms. JeonglimJunglim Kim, Forum Coordinator:

4th fl. Shimji Bldg. Gyobuk-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-090, South Korea

Phone: +82-2-723-1673

Fax: +82-2-723-1671

Mobile: +82-16-673-0900

E-mail:

Website:

제4회 아시아인권포럼The 4th Asia Human Rights Forum –아시아에서의 이주 노동자의 기여와 현지인의 인식Migrant Workers’ Contributions and Local Perceptions in Asia

17 February 20092009 8.2.17International Studies Hall, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea(화) 고려대학교 국제회의실