E/CN.4/2002/94/Add.1 page 24 83. The Special Rapporteur encourages Ecuador to continue to conclude bilateral agreements to regulate migration abroad by its nationals and to coordinate with the Ministry of Labour all matters relating to migrant workers. She also learned with great concern of the testimony of migrants and their families reporting abuses committed in States through which Ecuadorian migrants pass and where networks of smugglers operate, for example in Central America and Mexico. In that regard, she recommends that Ecuador should include in its external negotiating strategy dialogue with such States in order to apply measures of protection for its citizens, the effective investigation of abuses, the non-penalization of victims of smuggling and a strategy for preventing and combating smuggling which has been coordinated among those same States. She takes this opportunity to endorse the wish expressed by migrants’ families concerning the conclusion of agreements among States whereby Ecuadorian citizens can serve sentences to which they have been sentenced within Ecuador. 84. The Special Rapporteur considers it important that civil society and indigenous, social and peasant organizations should pursue the dialogue initiated with the State to protect and promote the human rights of migrants. In that regard, she considers it important that the organizations should share their knowledge and experience and provide the State with advice. She believes that the organizations would benefit from developing regional and international networks to exchange and coordinate actions. She encourages organizations of migrants and their families to continue to step up their advocacy for protection of their rights. Notes 1 The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the two optional protocols to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Ecuador has only signed and not ratified the optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and the optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. 2 Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Air and Sea. 3 Supreme decree No. 1899. RO/382 of 30 December 1971. 4 Supreme decree No. 1900. RO/382 of 30 December 1971. 5 Supreme decree No. 1897. RO/382 of 30 December 1971. 6 INEC projection of 1990 census figures to the year 2000.