E/CN.4/2001/83 page 9 28. Article 2 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, so far ratified by 166 States, provides that States parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms and agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women. Of particular relevance to the topic of concern to us are article 6, which advocates the suppression of the exploitation of women, and article 9 on equality in respect of nationality laws, which refers, inter alia, to foreign husbands of women citizens of a particular country who cannot acquire the nationality of the spouse. Equality of rights in respect of employment and work, as provided for in article 11, relates to real-life situations that are faced by thousands of migrant women workers. 29. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by 191 States, offers a framework of protection that is applicable to all children, wherever they may be. The Convention enunciates the civil and political rights of children, as well as their economic, social and cultural rights. Of the articles establishing “general principles” that serve as guidelines for the interpretation of the Convention, attention is drawn to article 2, paragraph 1 of which provides that States parties “shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child’s or his or her parent’s or legal guardian’s race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status”. The other three “general principles” are the best interests of the child as a primary consideration in all actions concerning children (art. 3), the right to life, survival and development (art. 6) and the right of the child to express his views freely in all matters affecting him, such views being given due weight (art. 12). 30. Attention is also drawn to rights which are of particular relevance, such as the right to have an application to enter a State party for the purpose of family reunification dealt with in a positive, humane and expeditious manner (art. 10) and the right of children temporarily or permanently deprived of their family environment to special protection and assistance provided by the State (art. 20). Account should also be taken of article 29, paragraph 1 (c), in which States parties agree that the education of the child must be directed to the development of respect for the child’s parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate and for civilizations different from his or her own. 31. With regard to instruments for the protection of the human rights of migrant men and women workers, the International Labour Organization has adopted a number of instruments designed specifically to protect this group, such as the Convention No. 97 concerning Migration for Employment (Revised 1949), Recommendation No. 86 concerning Migration for Employment (Revised 1949) and Convention No. 143 concerning Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions, 1975). 32. The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families is an attempt to reaffirm and establish basic human rights standards and include them in an instrument which also protects those migrant workers and members of their families who are undocumented or in an irregular situation. The Convention has so far

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