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(ILO
BANGKOK): Better policy
coherence, effective enforcement and more research are some of the
elements needed for improved management of labour
migration in The
meeting, which was jointly organised by the International
Labour
Organization (ILO) and SMU, brought together migration experts,
representatives of 13 East Asian economies[1],
as well as employers’ and workers’ organisations
to address social and economic policy issues related to regional labour
migration. “Deciding
who to admit into your midst…how to treat them in employment and how
your own society will integrate them” are complex issues for States,
said Manolo Abella, Chief Technical Adviser,
ILO Asian Regional Programme on Governance of Labour
Migration, International Labour Organization. He
added that “the question of how much migration is desirable is often
projected as an economic issue. But at the end of the day…it is
settled by political consensus”. ”Migration can be a truly “win-win” proposition for all if a framework for managing migration is in place and if there is closer co-operation among governments, employers and workers to ensure its implementation” he said. One
major problem is that migration is an under-researched area and
because of this administrators and civil servants often lack the
information they need. Further research is needed to ensure that
decisions are not based on mistaken assumptions and that migration
policies are not undermined by conflicting approaches in other areas.
The
Symposium, which ran from 16-18th May 2007, underlined the
importance of governance capacity and matching good policies with
successful enforcement. The “Policies must start with the recognition that migrant workers are rational human beings who will make choices and take risks that are best for them, even if this happens to be out of line with state policies,” Mr. Abella said. Inadequate
governance comes at a cost, often a heavy one that is born by
individual migrant workers. Examples include the higher costs of
migrating through government-approved channels rather than informal
ones. Governments need ensure that protective measures do not simply
place further financial burdens on migrants. Speaking of the ILO’s Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration, a non-binding agreement based on international principles of decent work and best practices, Mr. Abella says, “we should try very hard to…enrich this framework with concrete experiences and… to work not only at a regional level but to promote its implementation at national levels”. He drew attention to the recent ASEAN Declaration on Protection of Migrant Workers which shows that there is now a political commitment on the part of member states of the region to improving the conditions of migrant workers. For
more information please contact:
Sophy
Fisher [1]
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