Southeast Asian Forum for Fishers strengthen efforts to better protect migrant fishers
To strengthen the protection of migrant fishers in the Southeast Asia, SEA Forum for Fishers emphasized the need for streamlined coordination at both national and regional levels during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Representatives from four Southeast Asia countries (Indonesia. Thailand, the Philippines and Cambodia) under the Working Group of the SEA Forum for Fishers gathered at the end of May to examine and discuss the impact of COVID-19 pandemic to human trafficking and forced labour in fishery sector. Lockdowns, travel restrictions, resource cutbacks and other measures to curb the spread of the new Coronavirus have found to put victims of human trafficking at risk of further exploitation.
The Southeast Asian Forum to End Trafficking in Persons and Forced Labour of Fishers (SEA Forum for Fishers) was established by eight Southeast Asian countries in 2019. Facilitated by the ILO’s SEA Fisheries Project, the Forum aims to harmonise and strengthen existing efforts to end human trafficking and forced labour in fishing industry across Southeast Asia.
During the meeting, participating countries shared current measures and arrangements taken by their national authorities and stakeholders in dealing with the impact of the pandemic. They agreed that clear standards and common practices of labour inspections between countries as well as streamlined cooperation and coordination with each relevant authorities in exercising flag states, port states and costal jurisdiction is needed to effectively and efficiently enforce relevant laws to better protect fishers from forced labour and trafficking risks as well as from the pandemic.
The participants also shared updates on exploitative labour faced by fishers. Ilyas Pangestu, Chairperson of the Indonesian Fisheries Workers Union (SPPI), shared the cases of forced labour and violation faced by Indonesian migrant fishers abroad. He also called for coordination from relevant stakeholders through all cycles of employment. “We need to continue reviewing the recruitment and placement processes of migrant fishers at both origin and destination countries.”
Participants agreed that clear standards and common practices of labour inspections between countries as well as streamlined cooperation and coordination with each relevant authorities in exercising flag states, port states and costal jurisdiction is needed to effectively and efficiently enforce relevant laws to better protect fishers from forced labour and trafficking risks as well as from the pandemic."
Responding to the updates, Rene Roberts, ILO’s Labour Inspection Specialist, highlighted the importance role of labour inspectors in providing better protection for workers, including those working in the fishery sector. “We need to strengthen the implementation of labour inspection at both national and regional levels as discussed during the ASEAN Labour Inspector Conference last year,” he added.
In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting concluded with a recommendation to strengthen the inspection of OSH protocols of fishery vessels during COVID-19 pandemic. Other recommendation was to involve workers and employers in the labour inspection process.
The meeting was supported by the ILO through its SEA Fisheries Project. Funded by the US Department of State, the Project aims to combat human trafficking in the fisheries and seafood sectors by strengthening coordination and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing national and regional level anti-trafficking efforts in Southeast Asia region.
