History and Achievements

When December 18 launched the first international multilingual portal site for information on the human rights of migrants based on advocacy for universal ratification and effective implementation of human rights norms and standards it filled a huge gap in information and documentation on these issues. This was partly due to the fact that at the time large international human rights NGOs had not yet developed a strong interest in migration issues and also because of shortcomings with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ online presence. Furthermore, the work done by trade union confederations, ecumenical initiatives as well as the intense advocacy being done in Asia had not yet reached full international visibility. So, December 18 was the only electronic hub for resources and information and remained so for many years, even before academic institutions and think tank initiatives launched on-line resource centres.   

From the start, December 18 worked on ways to more effectively use and promote the international human rights regime as a set of tools to protect the rights of migrants and to ensure international accountability. In this context, the UN Migrant Workers Convention plays a central role. December 18 became in 2002 the first rotating Convenor of the International Steering Committee for the Campaign for Ratification of the Migrants Rights Convention. During this period, the December 18 coordinator successfully pushed for the consolidation of this hybrid NGO and agencies Geneva-based initiative initially launched by the World Council of Churches.        

Following the entry into force of the Migrant Workers Convention in 2003, December18 proposed the creation of the International Platform on the Migrant Workers Convention (IPMWC). The civil society members of the above-mentioned International Steering Committee platform, including the International Catholic Migration Commission, the World Council of Churches and others, immediately supported this initiative. It was soon joined by Human Rights Watch and supported by Amnesty International, which gave it clout. The IPMWC was officially launched in 2005 and during the first 3 years coordinated by December 18.

In 2004, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called upon the European Union to develop its economic migration policy and legislative initiatives on the principles outlined in the Convention. Getting the EU member states to ratify this international instrument requires comprehensive multi-stakeholder parallel efforts at the national as well as European level. To this extent, December 18 initiated the European Platform for Migrant Workers Rights, for which it provided the secretariat from 2004 to 2008.

December 18 has always emphasized the need to mainstream migrants’ rights throughout the entire UN system, in addition to encourage work at the regional and national levels. In 2004, the organization released its groundbreaking research on whether or not the work of the other UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies reflected the increased emphasis on migration issues in the international context. The work was carried out with support from UNESCO and in collaboration with the International Catholic Migration Commission. It was used by OHCHR to brief the newly established UN Committee on Migrant Workers.

In 2006, building on its short but fruitful history of creative initiatives on migrants’ rights, December 18 launched the innovative Radio 1812 initiative. This global radio marathon takes place in the context of International Migrants Day and is meant to bring the stories and experiences from migrants to radio audiences across the world. In 2008, 175 radio stations from 48 countries in all world regions took part in the event.

Over the years, December 18 has evolved into what is today an international resource centre on the human rights of migrant workers.