The MOLVT-ILO/Japan Third Consultative Workshop on Formulation of Foreign Employment Policies for Cambodia
(6-8 October 2009, Golden Sand Hotel, Sihanoukville, Cambodia)
Context: International labour migration has been a long traditional and on-going phenomenon. It has been a coping strategy for moving out from poverty for Cambodian. The increased needs for low skilled workers in the international labour market like Thailand, Malaysia, and elsewhere become a pull factor for the unemployed and the underemployed Cambodian workers to reap a better income from working in foreign countries, in spite of the fact that it may fraught with many dangers in forms of labour exploitation and human trafficking. However the problem arose when people are traveling from one sovereign country to another for economic and political purposes which may create social and political consequences in the countries of origin and destination. This has compelled the governments to intervene and formulate migration polices and programmes in order to regulate the flows of migration.
The approach to formulation of the national labour migration policy will be carried out through a process of stakeholder consultations, and be guided by the ILO Conventions No. 97 (Migration for Employment), No. 143 on Migration in Abusive Condition and Equality of Treatment, No. 181 on Private Employment Agencies, and the ILO Multilateral Framework on Labour migration. The national foreign employment policy for Cambodia will cover the following key components:
I. Promoting good governance on and regulation of international labour migration based on consultative process with social partners and civil society (Governance and regulation of migration);
II. Providing effective protection, empowerment and services to migrant workers (Protecting migrant workers).
III. Mobilizing development contributions of labour migration in terms of remittances, reintegration of returning migrant workers, and linking with transnational communities (Migration and development).
The first consultative meeting was held on 5 May 2009 in Phnom Penh, where the MOLVT provided the overview on current development on labour migration, and the ILO outlined the roadmap to formulation of the labour migration policy and the key policy challenges in Cambodia. The second consultative meeting was held in Siem Reap between 23 – 25 June 2009 to discuss in detail the key issues under three policy components, namely, i.e. governance on labour migration, protection of migrant workers, and migration and development. Based on inputs from stakeholders at the consultative workshop with respect to the current and future policy issues on foreign employment for Cambodia, a draft policy paper has been prepared and translated into Khmer for the third consultative meeting in Sihanoukville.
Purpose: The workshop is aimed at reviewing and finalizing the policy paper covering the proposed key policy areas, strategic areas, policy options and action plan.
Expected outcome: At the end of the workshop, the final draft National Foreign Employment Policy for Cambodia will be further refined and submitted to MOLVT for the final stakeholder consultative meeting which will be held in Phnom Penh in late October 2009.
Workshop modality: The participants will be divided into three groups. The ILO will present the contents of the policy paper, following which each group will work on the components of foreign employment policies i.e. governance, protection, and development. The group will present the outcomes of group discussion. At the end of group presentation, one group will be selected or voted to prepare the PowerPoint presentation during the last day of the workshop on a particular component of the policy. In October 2009, the representative of each group, on behalf of stakeholders, will present the specific component of the policy at a half-day final meeting in Phnom Penh.
Intended participants: There will be about 30 participants comprising senior officials from MOLVT involving in labour migration which include MTOSB, MOLSVY, MOWA, MOFA, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Economic and Finance, Ministry of Planning, Council of Ministers, workers’ and employers’ organizations, recruitment agency, NGOs (CARAM, LSW, CWPD), UNIFEM, UNFPA, UNIAP, and IOM.
Programme of the workshop:
0800 – 0830 hrs Registration and opening ceremony
0830 – 0845 hrs Explaining modality of the workshop
0845 – 0930 hrs Presentation on the contents of the policy paper
(Pracha Vasuprasat, CTA of ILO/Japan Migration Project)
0930 – 1030 hrs Group work to review sections 1 to 4 of the policy paper
1030 – 1045 hrs Coffee/tea break
1045 – 1200 hrs Group presentation and discussion
1200 – 1330 hrs Lunch
1330 – 1400 hrs Presentation on policy challenge and governance
(Pracha Vasuprasat, CTA of ILO/Japan Migration Project)
1400 – 1500 hrs Group work to review section 5.1: policy challenge and governance
1500 - 1515 hrs Coffee/tea break
1515 – 1630 hrs Group presentation and discussion
0830 – 0900 hrs Presentation on protection and empowerment of migrant workers
(Pracha Vasuprasat, CTA of ILO/Japan Migration Project)
0900 – 1000 hrs Group work to review section 5.2: protection and empowerment of migrant workers
1000 – 1015 hrs Coffee/tea break
1015 – 1200 hrs Group presentation and discussion
1200 – 1330 hrs Lunch
1330 – 1400 hrs Presentation on harnessing labour migration for development
(Pracha Vasuprasat, CTA of ILO/Japan Migration Project)
1400 – 1500 hrs Group work to review section 5.3: Harnessing Labour Migration for Development
1500 – 1515 hrs Coffee/tea break
1515 – 1630 hrs Group presentation and discussion
0830 – 0900 hrs Recapitulation
0900 – 1000 hrs Group work to prepare for presentation at the final meeting in Phnom Penh
1000 – 1015 hrs Coffee/tea break
1015 – 1100 hrs (continued)
1100 – 1200 hrs Group presentation and discussion
1200 – 1230 hrs Summary and closing
1230 – 1400 hrs Lunch
1400 hrs Participants departure to Phnom Penh
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