Elusive protection, uncertain lands: Migrants’ access to human rights.

This study points out the needs for strengthening the protection of migrants' human rights in international and national law and discusses some the practical obstacles that make it difficult for them to enjoy their human rights. The study also discusses migrants' heightened vulnerability to human rights abuses in certain situations during the displacement process. It argues that, in addition to an abiding ethical duty, nation states have their own citizen-centric interest in defending migrants' rights through both individual and collective action. The protection of migrants' human rights is presented as an essential interlocking element to sustain a global system of orderly migration. Building on the nexus between human rights protection and migration management, and going beyond state practices, the study makes a strong case for coalition-building between human rights groups and migrant-serving associations. It also explains how developments in the wake of the September 11 attacks have heightened the importance of such coalitions.

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