New ILO survey reveals limited public support for migrant workers' rights in Asia

BANGKOK (ILO News) There is limited support for the rights of migrant workers among the public according to a new multi-country study released by the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. In general the report reveals higher levels of public support for migrant workers, in terms of their rights and their contribution, in Singapore and South Korea than in Malaysia and Thailand.

In three of the countries the majority view was that unauthorized migrants have broken the law and cannot expect to have any rights at work (78 per cent of respondents in Singapore, 82 per cent in Malaysia, 84 per cent in Thailand and 40 per cent in Korea). Even authorized migrant workers cannot expect the same working conditions as nationals when carrying out the same job, according to 73 per cent of respondents in Malaysia, 64 per cent in Thailand, 58 per cent in Singapore and 51 per cent in Korea.

In Singapore and Korea, two countries with more effective policies and systems for the admission and protection of migrant workers’ rights, the vast majority of the public were of the view that migrants make a positive net contribution to the economy. This was particularly so in Korea with 83 per cent responding positively. In Singapore the figure was 78 per cent. In Thailand and Malaysia the figures were much lower, 40 per cent and 37 per cent respectively.

“Formulating and implementing effective policies to govern labour migration can help lead the way to better relations between migrant workers and host populations,” said Sachiko Yamamoto, Regional Director for the ILO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. “Greater awareness of migrant workers’ rights and the contribution they make to host countries needs to be encouraged”.

In Thailand the findings of the ILO study are being used to shape the Saphan Siang (“Bridge of Voices”) campaign, which aims to promote better understanding between the public and migrant workers. The study found that a key factor in influencing public attitudes to migrant workers in all the countries studied was personal experience of migrant workers. The Saphan Siang campaign therefore gives Thais and migrant workers a chance to share views and experiences. Initially this will take place online (www.saphansiang.org), but there are plans to develop other opportunities for interaction.

Lessons in promoting greater harmony and understanding can be drawn from around the region. In Singapore last month, a series of road shows was organized by the Migrant Workers’ Center, a joint initiative of the Singapore National Employers Federation and the National Trade Union Congress. Under the theme “Embracing Differences”, the road shows featured a number of recreational activities as well as an exhibition on Singapore’s history, customs and social norms. In Korea, the Migrant Worker Film Festival, now in its sixth year, showcases films that raise public awareness of migration policies and social issues.

The four-country survey was coordinated by Rapid Asia, a social development consultancy agency. It was conducted through face-to-face interviews in four regions of both Thailand and Malaysia, and through an online panel in Singapore and Korea. In each country 1,000 people were interviewed, with the sample controlled for age, gender and, in Singapore and Malaysia, ethnicity.

The ILO TRIANGLE project (Tripartite Action to Protect Migrants from Labour Exploitation) is a regional initiative to protect the rights of migrants in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and Malaysia. The project works closely with governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations, and civil society to strengthen the formulation and implementation of migration policies, and to deliver support services to migrants and potential migrants. The TRIANGLE project is supported by the Australian Government Aid Program (AusAID), and runs from 2010 to 2015.

For further information please contact:

Mr Max Tunon
Technical Officer, ILO TRIANGLE project
Tel. +66 2288 2245
Email

Ms Kuanruthai Siripatthanakosol
National Project Coordinator, ILO TRIANGLE project
Tel. +66 2288 1354
Email

Ms Krisdaporn Singhaseni
Information Officer, ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Tel: +662 288 1664
Email