Annan urges govts to ratify UN Convention

In a message on the eve of the International Migrants Day, he said evidence of migration's potential benefits is mounting, but unfortunately, the experience of migrants has evolved in less positive ways.

"Rising number of migrants are being exploited and abused by smugglers and traffickers. Others suffer discrimination, xenophobia or racism, while in some instances they are demonised as a burden on their host societies even when objective assessments suggest otherwise," Kofi Annan said.

On the occasion, Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) reiterated its call to recognise domestic work as work and uphold the rights of all migrant workers to form or join associations to recognise for collective bargaining and to be free from situations of forced labour and discrimination.

It also called for an immediate stop to all crackdowns on migrant workers in an undocumented or irregular status, especially in Malaysia and South Korea.

"In many instances, crackdowns and forced deportations have resulted in serious injuries and sometimes even death and suicides among migrant workers," a statement of MFA said.