A/RES/52/97 Page 2 Emphasizing the need for accurate, objective and comprehensive information, as well as for a wide exchange of experiences and lessons learned by individual countries in protecting and promoting the rights and welfare of women migrant workers for policy formulation and joint action, Acknowledging the results of the Expert Group Meeting on Violence against Women Migrant Workers, held at Manila from 27 to 31 May 1996, and the comments thereon by Member States and relevant international organizations, Noting the large numbers of women from developing countries and some countries with economies in transition who continue to venture forth to more affluent countries in search of a living for themselves and their families as a consequence of poverty, unemployment and other socio-economic conditions, and acknowledging the duty of the sending States to work for conditions that provide employment and security to their citizens, Acknowledging the economic benefits that accrue to sending and receiving States from the employment of women migrant workers, Recognizing the importance of joint and collaborative approaches at the bilateral, regional, interregional and international levels in protecting and promoting the rights and welfare of women migrant workers, Underlining the important role of relevant United Nations treaty bodies in monitoring the implementation of human rights conventions and the relevant special procedures, within their respective mandates, in addressing the problem of violence against women migrant workers and in protecting and promoting their rights and welfare, 1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on violence against women migrant workers;6 2. Encourages concerned Governments, in particular those of sending and receiving countries, to develop, as appropriate, systematic data collection methods and to update and share information on violence against women migrant workers; 3. Urges concerned Governments, in particular those of sending and receiving countries, to strengthen their national efforts to protect and promote the rights and welfare of women migrant workers, including through sustained bilateral, regional, interregional and international cooperation, by developing strategies and joint action and by taking into account the innovative approaches and experiences of individual Member States; 4. Also urges concerned Governments, in particular those of sending and receiving countries, to support and allocate appropriate resources for programmes aimed at strengthening preventive action, in particular information for relevant target groups and education and campaigns to increase public awareness of this issue at the national and grassroots levels, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations; 5. Encourages concerned Governments, in particular those of sending and receiving countries, to support training programmes for public officials dealing with the problem of violence against women migrant workers, in particular law enforcers, to assist women migrant workers who are victims of violence, to provide, in the reporting of such cases and the prosecution of the perpetrators, adequate consular, counselling, legal and welfare services and to consider adopting appropriate legal measures against intermediaries who deliberately encourage the clandestine movement of workers and who exploit women migrant workers; 6 A/52/356. /...