Message I t gives me great pleasure to present this publication of the Handbook on the United Nations’ Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (UNCMW). Loretta Ann P. Rosales Chairperson Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines Together with the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines’ (CHRP) partners, the Center for Migrant Advocacy and the United Nations Development Program, we offer this publication to raise awareness on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and share the experience of engaging in a tripartite mechanism composed of the government, civil society and the CHRP as a national human rights institution, in an effort to empower all stakeholders in the course of implementing of the UNCMW. This handbook is a product of CHRP’s fulfillment of its constitutional mandate to monitor government compliance with international human rights treaties. It hopes to assist and inspire government, civil society and other stakeholders to work together and jointly monitor compliance with the Convention. Monitoring compliance is not only a reporting requirement of the Convention, it is imperative to ensure that the dignity of every migrant, here and abroad, is fully respected and protected While Philippines is praised internationally for its institutional framework that protects migrant workers, it remains its mandate to continue to improve its protection mechanisms, in the increasing complex conditions Filipino migrants find themselves on globally. The real challenge is to ensure that the policies and legislation are implemented to bring about a substantive improvement in the lives of millions of migrants. As one of the first countries to ratify the Convention, the Philippines committed to uphold the highest standards of protection for migrant workers and their families. With over 10 million Filipinos living abroad, the Philippines is among the largest migrant sending countries in the world. The overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), our modern day heroes, have made immense sacrifices to contribute to the development of the Philippines. They deserve comprehensive protection across borders. Unfortunately, migrant workers commonly experience various forms of abuse and exploitation. The UNCMW must be translated domestically through Philippine statutes, policies and programs to ensure its full and faithful implementation. But this must be done in close bilateral cooperation with host countries and through other protection mechanisms provided by the UN System where the Philippines is a State Party. It is in this regard where the entire system of Philippine Foreign Relations and Policy must be compliant with its obligations under the human rights standards provided by the UNCMW and the other human rights instruments it has ratified. As concretely manifested in the completion of this book, the CHRP aims to continue to maintain and strengthen its partnership work with civil society organizations such as the Center for Migrant Advocacy with in close cooperation with the Government and the international human rights community through the United Nations.