Lesotho advances towards stronger Labour Migration Governance through ILO Conventions 97 and 143

MASERU, Lesotho (ILO News) - Organized by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the workshop brought together key national stakeholders to deepen their understanding of ILO Conventions No. 97 and 143, which focus on the rights and protection of migrant workers.

Supported under the ILO Integrated Programme on Fair Recruitment (FAIR), the workshop builds on a recent legal gap analysis conducted by the ILO and supported by the Southern African Migration Management Project. The analysis assesses how Lesotho’s current laws measure up against the provisions of the two conventions and offers recommendations to support the ratification process. The final analysis will be tabled in the National Committee on Labour Migration (NCLM), which is in the process of being fully established. As part of this ongoing work, the workshop also included targeted capacity building for the members of the NCLM. The workshop was organized back-to-back with a tripartite capacity-building workshop on ILO international labour standards and reporting.

Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, social partners, recruitment agencies, and members of the technical working group on labour migration. The engagement reflects a collective national effort to strengthen protection for migrant workers in line with Lesotho’s National Labour Migration Policy and regional frameworks such as the SADC Labour Migration Action Plan (2020–2025).

"This initiative reflects Lesotho’s commitment to improving labour migration governance, and we are encouraged by the request from national stakeholders for continued ILO support towards the possible ratification of Conventions 97 and 143," said the ILO Labour Migration Specialist. "It also highlights the vital role of social dialogue and inclusive policy development."

Speaking at the event, the Director of the ILO Pretoria Office emphasized the global significance of this work:

The ILO has sought to safeguard the rights of all workers, including migrant workers, across the world by adopting, promoting and ensuring the implementation of international labour standards developed and agreed upon by governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations.

With this momentum, Lesotho is positioning itself to further align its legal and institutional frameworks with global standards—contributing to safe, orderly, and fair migration, while promoting decent work for all.