Part II NHRIs in action The Santa Cruz Declaration recommends that NHRIs analyse the specific reasons behind their Government’s non-ratification, “including misconceptions and other obstacles”, and develop clear responses to counter these concerns. It also suggests that NHRIs can bolster their advocacy efforts by working in partnership with civil society organizations.177 A comprehensive strategy to promote ratification of the Convention could include measures such as: • lobbying the Government, at both the parliamentary and departmental levels • making formal recommendations to the Government, through annual reports, to governmental or parliamentary inquiries or through other reporting processes • raising public awareness and building community support through campaigns, conferences and media advocacy • delivering human rights training programmes • providing advice on policy and legislative development • engaging with the international human rights system, including the UN treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, and making recommendations through the reporting processes available to NHRIs. CASE STUDY The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) has encouraged ratification of the Convention on Migrant Workers and core ILO conventions through various outreach activities with the Government, as well as in recommendations made in its annual reports, special reports related to migrant workers and press statements. SUHAKAM has also drawn attention to law and policy reform issues regarding migrant workers in meetings with parliamentary and governmental bodies, such as the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights, the Department of Immigration and the Ministry of Home Affairs. It has also coordinated larger meetings to foster improved communication between government departments on these issues. In addition, SUHAKAM has organized a number of roundtable discussions to bring together relevant government agencies and civil society organizations to discuss issues related to the rights of migrant workers. In addition to the Convention on Migrant Workers, there are a number of other key international human rights standards that can enhance the protection of the rights of migrant workers, as well as individuals who have been smuggled or trafficked across borders. NHRIs should review whether their Government has ratified the: • ILO Migration for Employment Convention, 1949 (C-97) • ILO Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 (C-143) • ILO Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (C-189) • Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime 177 Santa Cruz Declaration; 8th International Conference of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights; Santa Cruz, Republic of Bolivia; 24–26 October 2006; paras. 25-26. Chapter 6: Promoting reform of law, policy and practice | 71