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The UN special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, François Crépeau, has said that governments must focus more on protecting and promoting the fundamental human rights of migrants.

The Guardian reports that Mr Crépeau attacked governments which went for the “low hanging fruit” when tackling issues such as poverty.

In a report, he also said that the Millennium development goals (MDGs) had been seen by some governments as an opportunity to promote economic growth, rather than being used to improve human rights.

As a result, inequalities had widened – and by “de-linking” MDGs from human rights issues, State obligations had been reduced to little more than policy options.

“The goals encouraged technical fixes and focused on the low-hanging fruit, rather than targeting the root causes of development problems,” Mr Crépeau said.

“Consequently, they monitored progress and success through a one-size-fits-all lens, focusing only on what was easily measurable and not on what was important, such as the empowerment of marginalised groups.

“The lack of proper monitoring meant that it was difficult to hold governments accountable at the global, national and local levels,” he added.

Mr Crépeau said that human rights were essential for development – and “must not be sidelined”. The United Nations (UN) is about to debate the sustainable development goals (SDGs) which will replace MDGs at the end of 2015.

Mr Crépeau said:

“Although equality was one of the core values of the UN Millennium declaration, the goals did not adequately tackle issues of discrimination, equality and equity – resulting in increases in inequalities within and between countries.

“The goals placed emphasis on overall progress as the main indicator, thereby overlooking slower progress, or the growing exclusion of marginalised groups – including migrants living and working in precarious circumstances.”

He is calling on the global community to put human rights in their proper place in SDGs – adding that much of the progress of MDGs had been achieved as a result of “hard working men and women” leaving their home countries to work abroad.

“The post-2015 sustainable development goals are an opportunity for governments to show their commitment to human rights – that they are indeed indivisible and applicable to all regardless of one’s immigration status,” he said.

In 2013, migrants send around £251 billion in remittances, he added – when migrants leave their home countries to move to a wealthier country, their income increases fifteen-fold on average, with a sixteen-fold reduction in child mortality.

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