The Committee on Migrant Workers this afternoon concluded its consideration of the first and second combined periodic reports of Nigeria on how it implements the provisions of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, with Committee Experts commending Nigeria’s recognition of the Committee’s State party complaints mechanism, and raising issues concerning the “brain drain” phenomenon and the persecution of repatriated lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex migrants following a refusal of asylum status in other countries.
Fatima Diallo, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, welcomed that Nigeria would make a commitment to recognise the Committee’s competence to receive complaints on State parties pursuant to Article 76 of the Convention. This was commendable, she said.
Another Committee Expert asked about the brain drain, known as “japa” in Yoruba, due to highly qualified migrant outflows. The country was losing skilled labour such as doctors and technical workers. What measures were taken to limit the loss? How would the Government ensure the country could meet modern challenges? Did the State party consider that such migration was a good thing? What steps were taken to ensure that those migrants were in a regular situation?
One Expert noted that legislation in the country criminalised homosexuality and there was reportedly a death by stoning recently because of it. Some Nigerian migrants tried to seek asylum in other countries to escape persecution for their sexuality. How were migrants who were refused and sent back to Nigeria affected by this legislation?
Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, in opening remarks said that, as a source, transit and destination country, managing migration was a priority for Nigeria. Its 2015 National Migration Policy was undergoing review and a raft of measures had been adopted to strengthen protections for migrant workers in line with the Convention. The State party took a firm stance against slavery, exploitation, and requested that countries receiving migrants in states in the Global North, Persian Gulf, India and South Africa ratify the Convention in order to adequately protect the rights of migrant workers residing in their countries.
In the ensuing discussion, the delegation said that young people often migrated for school. The Government could not restrict movement of its own people because that would be a restriction on human rights. When Europeans migrated to Nigeria, they were treated as expatriates, but Nigerians abroad did not receive the same treatment. They would work menial jobs even though they might have graduate degrees or other qualifications. In Málaga alone, 5,000 Nigerians were working legally; in London over a million worked legally. Nigeria focused on protecting the dignity and security of those who did “japa”.
Nigeria did not reject people based on sexual orientation or religion. It was alarming to think that someone would ask what a person’s sexual orientation was and then discriminate against that person. Perhaps this occurred in other countries, but not in Nigeria. There was also no salary disparity between men and women in Nigeria.
In concluding remarks, Ms. Ibrahim thanked the Committee for the fruitful dialogue. It was a priority of the Government of Nigeria to ensure that the rights of migrant workers and their families were protected.
Can Ünver, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, in concluding remarks, expressed hope that the constructive dialogue contributed to the State party’s regulations and legislations. If it did, then the dialogue would have been beneficial. The Committee remained available for help and advice going forward.
Ms. Diallo, in her concluding remarks, thanked the delegation, saying that the Committee looked forward to further dialogues on these issues. The common goal was improving conditions for migrants both in Nigeria and abroad. It was positive that such a constructive dialogue could take place. Nigeria would certainly be a driving force in issues relating to migration in Africa.
The delegation of Nigeria was made up of representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Employment; the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants. and Internally Displaced Persons; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Federal Ministry of Justice; the Nigeria Immigration Service; and the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee on Migrant Worker’s thirty-sixth session is being held from 27 March to 6 April. All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpageOpens in new window. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpageOpens in new window.
The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m., Thursday 30 March to begin its consideration of the third periodic report of the Philippines (CMW/C/PHL/3Opens in new window).