Strengthening gender-responsive recruitment and reintegration and social protection for migrant workers in Western Visayas

Through its migration programmes in the Philippines, the International Labour Organization (ILO) brought together Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and their families from Western Visayas, in collaboration with the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) and Migrants Coordinating Group (MCG).

Held from 15 to 17 February 2023 in Iloilo City, the initiative included an annual planning meeting of the Migrants Coordinating Group in the region and a workshop on organization development to improve the documentation and management of OFW cases, activities and organizations in Western Visayas.

The Bridging Recruitment to Reintegration in Migration Governance (BRIDGE) Project and the Safe and Fair Programme, along with the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA), and Migrants Coordinating Group (MCG) co-organized.

This contributes to improving the participation of OFW groups in engaging with the Migrant Resource Centres of local government units (LGU) and OFW helpdesks in promoting fair and ethical recruitment and sustainable gender-sensitive reintegration.

Mr Rex Marlo Varona, National Project Coordinator for the Safe and Fair Programme, led the discussion on problem-solving, mentoring and guiding specific OFW helpdesks and OFW groups in Western Visayas on improving documentation of cases and activities, as well as monitoring and reporting in accordance with ILO MRC guidelines. Ms Marie Allyssa Dacasin, National Project Coordinator of the BRIDGE Project, discussed Fair Recruitment principles based on the ILO General Principles and Operational Guidelines and their application in labour migration governance.

The Safe and Fair Programme: Realizing women migrant workers’ rights and opportunities in the ASEAN region is funded by the European Union. The global EU-UN Spotlight Initiative is a 500-million-euro EU-UN partnership programme to end violence against women and girls. Safe and Fair is implemented in the ASEAN region, led by the ILO with UN Women and in collaboration with UNODC. Safe and Fair provides technical assistance and support to national and regional stakeholders to make labour migration safe and fair for all women in the ASEAN.

The BRIDGE supported by the Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), helps the Philippine government meet its Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration commitments. BRIDGE is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UN Women, in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator Office and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).