Women and young migrant workers

Inception Workshop to Establish the ATUC Youth and Women Committee

This workshop will bring together youth and women representatives from the ASEAN Trade Union Council (ATUC) to form a youth and women structure of ATUC.

Background

As the ASEAN economic integration accelerates, women and young workers find more opportunities to earn a living in other countries within ASEAN, increasing their share in intra-ASEAN migration to almost half according to some estimates. Their labour supports both countries of destination and countries of origin. However, they continue to face vulnerabilities and challenges in different stages of the migration cycle – unfair recruitment practices, unequal access to employment opportunities, violence and harassment at work.

A youth and women committee within ATUC will look more closely at gender and youth issues in the context of ASEAN labour migration. The youth and women committee can facilitate the support of young and women trade union members in public advocacy and campaigns calling for improved regional and national frameworks for migrant workers. Furthermore, the committee will ensure the mainstreaming of gender and youth in trade union policies, programmes and actions.

Objectives

This meeting will gather youth and women representatives from the ATUC affiliates’ youth and women committees or appropriate bodies to form a youth and women structure of ATUC. Specifically, the activity will:
  • Convene an ATUC Youth and Women Assembly to propose, discuss and adopt the Terms of Reference and the rules and procedures of the ATUC youth and women structure, confirm members of the Committee, elect titular members and officers, and assign substitute members;
  • Identify problems facing women and young migrant workers in ASEAN, including mainstreaming of gender and youth issues in trade unions; and
  • Develop a work plan with specific activities and timelines addressing the problems identified.

Expected outputs

The workshop is expected to achieve the following:
  • Adoption of Terms of Reference and rules of procedures of the ATUC youth and women structure;
  • Formation of the ATUC Youth and Women Committee with elected members, officers and substitute members; and
  • A work plan of the Committee’s follow up activities with timelines, including the Committee’s contribution to the implementation of ATUC commitments under the TRIANGLE in ASEAN programme.