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News Archives 2002
Activities
IV Nancy European Law Conference
Manolo Abella made a presentation on Access
to Employment - (pdf 84 KB) (available in French only) to
the Quatrièmes Journées Européennes du droit, held in Nancy (France)
on 22-23 november 2002.ILO advises Government of Thailand on migration
policy
ILO jointly with IOM organized the National Tripartite Seminar
on the Future of Migration Policy Management in Thailand, during
14-15 May 2002 in Bangkok. It marked the culmination of a technical
cooperation project that the ILO and IOM launched in 2001 on "Improving
migration policy management with special focus on irregular labour
migration" at the request of the Ministry of Labour and Social
Welfare, Government of Thailand. The components of this project
are: a major advisory report on migration management based on international
practice; analysis of the Thai labour market and migrant workers;
and detailed case studies of industrial sectors dependent on migrant
workers. A research team consisting of international and national
experts carried out the project. Professor Philip Martin of the
University of California, Davis was the lead international researcher
with the national team was drawn from three major research centres:
the Asian Research Centre for Migration, Chulalongkorn University;
the Institute of Population and Social Research, Mahidol University
and the Thailand Development Research Institute, Bangkok.
The project addressed the following issues: What is the nature of
the demand for foreign migrants in the context of changing labour
force trends and emerging labour shortages in the medium to long
term? Are there alternatives to employing migrant workers? If migrant
workers are needed, how to ensure their regular admission and protection?
What are the current profiles and working conditions of the foreign
work force? What policies and options can be developed by the Thai
Government for managing migration for economic growth based on registration
information and international good practice?
The advisory report by Professor Martin recommended the adoption
of a long term policy on labour migration, equality of treatment
of migrant workers and respect for their rights, close cooperation
with social partners and countries of origin, and measures for reducing
dependence on migrant workers in the long run including industrial
restructuring. These recommendations were well received by the participants
who endorsed them to the Government. A report on the recommendations
was subsequently sent to the Prime Minister of Thailand and the
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare.
Advisory report to the Government of Thailand:
Executive
Summary - (pdf 166 KB) and
Conclusions
and Recommendations - (pdf 126 KB).Consultations with new Ministry of Expatriates'
Welfare and Overseas Employment of Bangladesh
The Chief of the Migration Programme visited Bangladesh in the
last week of May to have discussions with the Major Mohd.Quamrul
Islam, State Minister and Minister in charge of the new Ministry
and his staff on their needs for technical assistance from the ILO.
A proposal for a technical assistance project for the sub-region
on migration and trafficking was designed during the visit and discussed
with various groups including ILO's tripartite constituents and
the potential donor, the UNDP.ILO jointly sponsors Belgian seminar on the migration
of the highly skilled
ILO joined the Symposium on the "Brain drain, brain gain or
brain transfer?" 24 May, Brussels, as one of the sponsors.
It was organised by the Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition
to Racism and the Higher Institute of Labour Studies of the Catholic
University of Leuven and the Flemish Inter-university Council (VLIR).
The seminar addressed the following issues: Is the brain drain a
significant problem? How are sending countries coping with their
brain drain? How can the countries of destination help countries
of origin losing their skills? How can receiving countries make
the best use of the talent that comes to their countries? Mr Piyasiri
Wickramasekara, Senior Migration Specialist, ILO, made a presentation
at the Plenary on "The Brain drain: Some reflections on migration
of highly skilled persons from developing countries".
Publications
ILO addresses to USS Workshop
During 29-30 November 2002, the ILO International Migration Programme
participated in the Workshop "World of work and integration:
a European dialogue", organised by the Union Syndicale Suisse
(USS - Swiss trade union) in Bern.
In the opening session, Eduardo Geronimi of the ILO International
Migration Programme made a presentation on the topic "International
labour standards as a legal framework for migrant workers"
(French only), in a panel along with the USS President and Central
Secretary, and members of the Swiss Foreign Office and the Council
of Europe.Papers on the situation in Americas
Two more publications have been added to the Publication Section:
Paper on "Asian labour migration in an era of globalization"
This paper by Piyasiri Wickramasekara, Senior Migration Specialist,
ILO, examines the trends and issues in Asian labour migration and
challenges faced by countries and the trade union movement in protection
of migrant workers. The author first discusses problems with current
terminology and examines some popular myths about migrant workers.
He points out that receiving countries reap considerable benefits
from migration, which are usually overlooked. He traces main trends
and features in Asian labour migration in the recent past, and identifies
the most vulnerable groups of migrant workers who need priority
attention. The paper also highlights the current dilemma faced by
labour sending countries in 'protection' of national workers abroad
and promotion of overseas employment. In the final section, the
author discusses the specific role of trade unions and broader policy
options open to countries for protecting migrant workers in the
light of ILO and other international instruments.
Brain Drain studies published
In 2001, the International Migration Branch carried out a DFID
(Department for International Development, UK)-sponsored research
project: "Skilled Labour Migration ('the brain drain') from
Developing Countries: Analysis of Impact and Policy Issues".
A series of core reports have been produced along with seven country
studies on the brain drain phenomena which will be published as
ILO working papers. Four core reports have been released presenting
the results and conclusions of the project while more detailed country
studies have been added:
Studies on domestic migrant workers in Bahrain and Lebanon
published
The International Migration Programme has recently completed studies
on domestic migrant workers in Bahrain and Lebanon. These studies
identify the key factors leading to high vulnerability of women
domestic migrant workers, and propose alternative approaches for
addressing them. Apart from compiling baseline data, the research
undertook a process of consultation with concerned parties (employers,
government agencies, workers, NGOs, diplomats of labour-sending
countries), focusing on what can be done to improve protection and
working conditions of women migrant domestic workers. The two studies
have been issued as International Migration Programme Papers as
follows:
Report on the Situation and Characteristics of Migrant
Workers in Central America (in Spanish)
Report
on the Situation and Characteristics of Migrant Workers in Central
America - (pdf 442 KB)
by Dr. Abelardo Morales Gamboa (in Spanish)
This report was prepared by Dr. Abelardo Morales Gamboa, Professor
of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO office
in Costa Rica). The study highlights the need to consider serious
problems related to working and living conditions of migrant workers,
as well as eliminating their unequal treatment. The report brings
out the absence of a protection framework in labour and human rights
including instruments to address situations of high vulnerability
encountered during migration. The report identifies groups at high
risk and highlights the inadequacy of existing institutional frameworks
to deal with emerging migration issues.Report on SubSaharan Irregular Migration through Morocco
towards E.U. countries (in French and Spanish)
Report on SubSaharan Irregular Migration through Morocco towards E.U. countries (in French) -
(pdf 640 KB)
This study has been prepared by an inter-country team of researchers
consisting of two directors of the project, Ms. Lucile Barros (Lawyer,
France) and Mr. Mehdi Lahlou (Economist, Morocco), and three collaborators,
Ms. Claire Escoffier (Anthropologist, Morocco), Mr. Pablo Pumares
(Geographer, Spain), and Mr Paolo Ruspini (Political Scientist,
Italy).
The report is based on a survey and field research on Sub-Saharan
African migrants to Spain, Italy and France passing through Morocco,
currently a topical issue of concern and negotiation between the
European Union, the Maghreb countries and several Sub-Saharan African
countries. Most importantly, it includes an analysis of legislation
and policies aiming at combating undocumented migration within the
European Union's framework.
"Final Project Report: Informal Network on International
Migration in Central and Eastern Europe" supported by the Government
of Luxembourg and the ILO Project RER/97/MO2/LUX, International
Labour Office, Geneva, 2002.
The report is available upon request.
- Some
Developmental Effects of the International Migration of Highly Skilled
Persons - (pdf 377 KB)
by B. Lindsay Lowell, ILO Geneva, 2002, IMP 46
- Policy
Responses to the International Mobility of Skilled Labour -
(pdf 293 KB)
by B. Lindsay Lowell, ILO Geneva, 2002, IMP 45
- Migration
of Highly Skilled Persons from Developing Countries: Impact and
Policy Responses - (pdf 319 KB)
Synthesis Report, ILO Geneva, 2002, IMP 44
- From
Brain Exchange to Brain Gain: Policy Implications for the UK of
Recent Trends in Skilled Migration from Developing Countries -
(pdf 380 KB)
by Allan Findlay, ILO Geneva, 2002, IMP 43
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