SEANF Paper on Migrant Workers III. Recommendations to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) The SEANF has formally welcomed the creation of the AICHR as a partner organization that “represents a hope for progressive realization of human rights in the region.” The SEANF has proposed the development of a Memorandum of Cooperation between SEANF and the AICHR. 23 The SEANF sincerely hopes that a mechanism for regular engagement between the AICHR and the NHRIs can be realized in the very near future. 65. The SEANF strongly recommends that the AICHR consider creating a Subcommittee on Migrant Worker Rights to assist its work on the nexus between migration and human rights abuses in ASEAN. There are several important reasons why the SEANF believes migrant workers in ASEAN deserve such attention. First, migrant workers are one of the most vulnerable of the groups in ASEAN, being highly at risk for exploitation and abuse, and even human trafficking. There is a very strong need for effective human rights education and outreach to both intending migrant workers in the sending countries as well as migrants already toiling in workplaces in the labour receiving countries. Second, migration across borders is on the rise, meaning a growing number of persons are at risk to suffer abuses of their human rights. Third, because the movement is across borders, regional cooperation is important to forge joint initiatives and collaborations to target the cross-border systems/groups (such as corrupt labour recruiters, brokers, labour smugglers, and human traffickers responsible for many of the abuses. Finally, the success of ASEAN integration is at stake because the declining numbers of national workers in a number of labour receiving countries means that migration for work is a critical factor for fruitful economic integration. 66. The SEANF calls on the AICHR to use its mandate under Article 4.10 of the AICHR Terms of Reference (TOR) to immediately request information from the ASEAN member states about their activities, policies, regulations and laws to protect and promote the rights of migrant workers. The AICHR should set out a research 23 ASEAN NHRIs Forum Position Paper Concerning the Political Declaration on the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, Submitted at the 3rd Consultation Meeting with the High Level Panel (HLP), 28 August 2009, Jakarta. 34