From origin to destination: Advancing social protection for workers across the GCC, South Asia and Africa labour migration corridors

Overview

This solutions session, organized by the GCC Executive Bureau and International Labour Organization (ILO), and the Ministry of Labour of the State of Qatar, offers a platform for dialogue, learning and collaboration on ways to strengthen social protection for migrant workers along some of the world’s most dynamic labour migration corridors. It aims to amplify momentum for reforms and cross-regional cooperation so that migrant workers and their families can benefit from inclusive, rights-based and gender responsive social protection. A special segment during the session will launch the ILO’s STREAM Programme and its vision for inclusive, gender-responsive and rights-based protection along the South Asia–Gulf corridor.

The solutions session’s objectives are to:

• Highlight regional initiatives focused on enhancing inclusive social protection.
• Spotlight the nexus between social protection and labour migration.
• Raise awareness of and advocate for inclusive social protection systems.
• Secure political and policy support for the effective implementation of reforms that enhance migrant workers’ access to social protection.
• Foster collaboration and shared commitments among key stakeholders.
• Launch the STREAM Programme, presenting its goals and expected impact.

Context

Labour migration is vital for destination countries, which face severe labour and skills shortages, as well as for countries of origin, whose labour markets fail to generate sufficient employment domestically. Adequate social protection for migrant workers is a cornerstone of fair labour migration. In the countries of Gulf Cooperation Council, (GCC) which host millions of migrant workers from across the world, rapid labour market transformations have spurred important changes in social protection policies and systems. Countries of origin have also redoubled efforts to strengthen pathways for legal remittances and extend social protection to migrant workers and their families.

Yet major challenges persist to ensuring awareness of, compliance with and effective access to social protection systems for migrant workers, especially women. The ILO’s Strategy on extending social protection to migrant workers, refugees and their families highlights that both origin and destination countries have pivotal roles to play in reforming laws, enabling access, negotiating bilateral agreements and expanding protections to ensure that migrants live and work with dignity.

Speakers

• H.E. Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Undersecretary, Ministry of Labour, Qatar
• H.E. Khalid bin Salem bin Sulaiman Al-Ghamari, Undersecretary for Labour Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Oman
• Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe, Deputy Minister of Labour, Sri Lanka
• H.E. Roseline Kathure Njogu CBS, Principal Secretary, State Department for Diaspora Affairs, Kenya
• Sonya Mohamed Janahi, Board Member of Bahrain Chamber & IOE Vice President for Asia
• Shakil Akhter Chowdhury, ITUC-BC Bangladesh
• Sr. Lissy Joseph, Chairperson, National Workers Welfare Trust of India
• H.E. Mohammed al-Obaidly Director General, Executive Bureau of the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs
• H.E. Valérie Berset Bircher, State Secretary for Economic Affairs (SECO), Government of Switzerland
• H.E. Cristian Tudor, European Union Ambassador to the State of Qatar
• Shahra Razavi, Director, Universal Social Protection Department, ILO
• Ghada Abdel Tawab, Global Senior Program Officer, Future of Workers Program, Ford Foundation
• Luca Pellerano, STREAM Programme Manager, ILO

Moderators

• Khalil Buhazaa, Director of Labour and Social Development, Executive Bureau (GCCLSA)
• Wiliam Gois, Regional Coordinator, Migrant Forum in Asia

Learn more about the ILO STREAM Programme here and the solutions session here.