ILO- ITUC Africa

High level panel on Migrant workers' contribution to the development of the African continent

As part of the commemoration of International Migrant Day 2022, the ILO, in collaboration with ITUC-Africa, organises a High-Level Panel to emphasise migration's contribution to development and to empower migrant workers.

The panel is part of the ILO campaign #Morethanamigrantoworker, which aims to raise awareness about the positive contributions of African migrant workers (both within and outside of Africa) to the development of their countries of origin and destination, as well as to contribute to changing perceptions and social behaviours surrounding migrant workers in general, and those from Africa in particular.

The High-level dialogue will provide a platform to discuss:

1. How do migrant workers contribute to the social and economic development of their countries of destination and country of origin?
2. How to optimize the developmental potential of labour migration: what tools and recommendations?
3. What is the role of diaspora associations?
4. Policy options for the way forward?

The HL dialogue will also be a platform to hear the VOICE of migrant workers themselves.

The panel will take place during an ITUC event in Kigali (19-21 December 2022), targeting ATUMNET focal points and journalists and which aims to discuss, assess, and share experience on the role of Trade Unions to promote fair recruitment, relevant International Labour Standards, union-to-union agreements, to maximise the benefits of labour migration for migrant workers through effective labour migration governance.

The workshop also aims to build the capacity of trade Unions in Africa on the theory of change on labour migration based on a number of projects implemented such as JLMP and BRMM and enhance their capacities to monitor and report on key indicators relevant to labour migration. Participants will also examine the critical role that trade unions and media play in facilitating labour mobility to benefit migrant workers, their families, and the countries of origin and destination.

Both events are supported by the Joint Labour Migration Programme-JLMP ACTION funded by the Swiss Development Cooperation, and the Better Regional Migration Management-BRMM project funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office- FCDO.