AlQa'dah 28, 1434, October 04, 2013, SPA -- The European Union and African Union issued Thursday a joint declaration supporting the human rights of migrants on the same day hundreds of Africans were feared drowned trying to reach Italy, dpa reported. The statement issued at a high-level debate on international migration and development in the UN General Assembly in New York said the two organizations are committed uphold the "human rights of migrants, regardless of their immigration status, to ensure decent working standards, and to prevent and combat migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings." It called for paying particular attention to women and children, the most vulnerable among migrants. A boat carrying about 500 people from North Africa caught fire before reaching the Italian island of Lampedusa. Rescuers recovered 82 bodies by mid-Thursday and reported at least 250 people were still missing. There were about 150 survivors. It was the latest tragedy in a long series of drownings for migrants leaving Africa seeking refuge in Europe. The declaration called for the adoption of a "more ambitious and holistic" understanding of the link between migration and development. EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom and African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs Mustapha Kaloko issued the declaration while attending the UN meeting. The UN said half of migrants are women and four of 10 migrants are living in developing countries. It said migrants can be found in both rich and developing countries, presenting complex realities that called for governments to work together to assist migrants because they can contribute to the local economies.
