NAY PYI TAW (ILO News)

“The new OSH Law is a major step towards safer workplaces in Myanmar and preventing occupational injuries, diseases and deaths,” said Rory Mungoven, ILO Liaison Officer at the OSH Stakeholder Event.  “Now we must all work together to achieve its effective implementation.”

The OSH Stakeholders Event was organized by the Factories and General Labour Laws Inspection Department (FGLLID) of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population (MOLIP) with support of the International Labour Organization on the 6-7 May 2019. The OSH Event brought together over 150 representatives from Government Ministries as well as Workers’ and Employers’ Organizations, partners and OSH experts from the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Japan to discuss the next steps on the implementation of the OSH Law (enacted on 15 March 2019).

The ILO is committed to support FGLLID in the preparations for the operationalization of the OSH Law and to assist FGLLID in the design and implementation of a comprehensive programme on OSH.

On the opening of the Conference, Myanmar’s Minister of Labour, Immigration and Population, H.E. U Thein Swe, urged the participants to discuss, brainstorm and develop ideas to implement the OSH Law, which aims to promote decent work in Myanmar and enhance the economic development. 

“Today we will discuss the outcomes of Myanmar’s National OSH Profile as a critical step toward achieving the goal of a more effective and responsive OSH system, grounded in the national context and aligned with international standards”, Mungoven said. The National OSH Profile supports the implementation of the recently-adopted Decent Work Country Programme for Myanmar, in particular Outcome 3.3 on OSH.

Myanmar National Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Profile was supported by the ILO as part of a portfolio of OSH development cooperation projects under the coordination of the ILO Liaison Office in Yangon, including the USDOL-funded SafeYouth@Work Project and the Vision Zero Fund Project. It was prepared in close cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population/Factories and General Labour Laws Inspection Department, the social partners and other important stakeholders and has been carefully vetted in an open and tripartite series of consultations. The National OSH Profile serves as a baseline for regular review and development of OSH policy, planning and actions to enhance workplace safety for all. It is hoped that the profile will assist all stakeholders in their efforts to promote and ensure safe and healthy working conditions in Myanmar, and serve as a foundation for building a national culture of workplace prevention.

“The ILO is not alone in this field. The collaboration with other partners such as Denmark, the European Union and United States has contributed to the progress in this field that has brought us here today. Having robust systems for OSH is an important benchmark for foreign investors, for brands that are buying from Myanmar factories, and in many trade agreements” said the ILO Liaison Officer, also confirming ILO commitment to support FGLLID in the preparations for the operationalization of the OSH Law and to assist FGLLID in the design and implementation of the Programme on OSH.

Regional experience in setting up National OSH Systems and local sectorial OSH activities in garments, agriculture and construction were shared during the OSH Stakeholders Event. International guests illustrated regional experience from Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore and Japan for Myanmar to identify the steps needed to achieve progress towards implementation of the OSH Law, define implementation priorities, and ensure relevant partnerships are fostered. Myanmar’s employers, workers and government stakeholders in garment, agriculture, and construction discussed current activities on OSH in their sectors and remaining challenges to comply with the new OSH Law. 

Furthermore one of the most important outcome of the Stakeholders Event has been the draft framework for a new National OSH Programme and accompanying National OSH Action Plan, including commitments and resource requirements to strengthen key institutions such as FGLLID. 

For more information:

Hnin Nwe Phyo, SafeYouth@Work Project, ILO - Yangon – phyo@il.org

_{Funding is provided by the United States Department of Labor under cooperative agreement number IL-26690-14-75-K-11. One hundred per cent of the total cost of the project or program is financed with federal funds, for a total of USD 11,443,156.00. This material does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the United States.}