MFA is a regional network of non-government organizations (NGOs), associations and trade unions of migrant workers, and individual advocates in Asia who are committed to protect and promote the rights and welfare of migrant workers.
MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA (MFA) believes that migrants’ rights are human rights. Documented or undocumented, irrespective of race, gender, class, age and religious belief, migrant workers’ rights are guaranteed by the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and other international conventions.
It is guided by a vision of an alternative world system based on respect for human rights and dignity, social justice, and gender equity, particularly for migrant workers.
MFA acts as a facilitator, a regional communication and coordination point between member-organizations and advocates, forging concerted action to address discriminatory laws and policies, violence against women migrants, unjust living conditions, unemployment in the homeland and other issues affecting migrant workers.
Conceived in 1990 in a meeting of migrant workers’ advocates in Hong Kong, current Special Administrative Region of China, MFA was formally organized in 1994 in a forum held in Taiwan, Province of China entitled, “Living and Working Together with Migrants in Asia”.
As a network working to address migrants’ issues, we commit ourselves to:
● Continue to fight and address violations of migrants’ human rights;
● Intensify education and organizing work among migrants to challenge globalization, and help develop initiatives by migrants.
● Help create alternative sustainable economic models, processes and practices for migrants.
● Broaden and strengthen our alliances and solidarity among networks, organizations and groups working for migrants’ issues, cutting across classes, sectors and nationalities.
● Launch coordinated initiatives and actions to build and strengthen popular movements and political momentum to promote a migrant agenda that shall include lobbying, petition, mass actions in the national, regional and/or international arena.
