Social Protection

Action in social protection covers the governance and regulation of labour migration, anti-discrimination and migrant integration, social security, terms and conditions of employment, occupational safety and health of migrant workers, and dealing with HIV/AIDS at workplace. A proactive approach to the protection of migrant workers lies in assistance in the formulation and implementation of gender-sensitive labour migration policies, setting-up effective labour migration institutions, and adoption and enforcement of legislation and policies guided by international labour standards.

Discrimination against migrant and ethnic minority workers is recognized as one of the most serious underlying threats to social peace and workplace productivity. It represents a threat to the rule of law and to consolidation of democracy in countries in all world regions. By incorporating the ILO Anti-Discrimination Convention No.111 in the Declaration of Fundamental Rights and Principles, ILO partners agreed on the centrality of global efforts to address and work to eliminate such discrimination. In 2006, ILO conducted two national discrimination testing surveys in Sweden (summary - [pdf 181 KB]) and France (Full report - [pdf 944 KB]).

In matters of social security, the ILO addresses equality of treatment in coverage and entitlement for migrant workers in relation to national workers.

The ILO considers as a major concern the protection of working conditions of domestic workers. Female domestic workers constitute a large portion of today's migrant worker population. Sadly, they also join the category of migrant workers, most at risk of exploitation and human rights abuse.

The ILO carries out actions to raise awareness of the constituents on HIV/AIDS at the workplace and labour migration issues. Research is conducted, jointly with UNAIDS, to develop frameworks and tools to efficiently address HIV/AIDS at the workplace and labour migration issues.

The ILO also views with serious concern the increasing volume and complexity of trafficking in persons worldwide, especially migrant women and children.