Message W ith millions of migrants living abroad, the Philippines is one of the largest migrant countries of origin in the world. The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) phenomenon has grown into an economic force, with remittances amounting to USD 25.1 billion in 2013, equivalent to 8.4% of the Gross Domestic Product. But behind these impressive figures are also some tales of hardship, as many OFWs leave the warmth of their families to work in difficult foreign environments, often for low wages. Under these circumstances, the rights of migrants are vulnerable to violation. Maurice Dewulf Country Director Many OFWs have fallen victim to sex trafficking and forced labour, while some United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) being physically and mentally abused by their employers, while their status as employee is Filipinos arrive in jobs with terms of reference and salaries very different to what they had originally signed up for. There have also been documented cases of domestic helpers not recognised in certain countries, leaving them feeling isolated and alone. It is in this respect that the Handbook on the United Nations’ Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families is a valuable and much needed resource. Not only does the handbook provide the reader with a list of their entitlements, but it also contains reports on the situation of migrant workers’ rights. These reports provide a benchmark for all stakeholders, including the Philippine government, civil society, and the United Nations, to monitor the progress of compliance to this human rights convention. This publication is part of the UNDP project with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR): Nurturing a Culture of Human Rights in the Philippines, and in partnership with the Center for Migrant Advocacy. As part of the project, UNDP supported CHR in the establishment of a tripartite monitoring mechanism for the Universal Periodic Review, from which government, civil society, and the private sector come together to track the progress the Philippines is making towards the fulfilment of the human rights conventions. We hope that this publication supports this partnership to promote, fulfil, and protect the rights of Filipinos, both at home and abroad.