ASEAN strengthens cooperation on protection of migrant workers

JAKARTA, 29th July, 2023 (WAM) – The Sixteenth Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (16th ACMW Meeting) was held on 26-27 July via videoconference. The event was hosted and chaired by Indonesia’s Ministry of Manpower as the ACMW Chair 2023-2024.

Over 50 delegates from the ACMW focal points of all ten ASEAN Member States (AMS) and the ASEAN Secretariat attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the progress on the implementation of the Action Plan (2018-2025) of the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers. Key outcomes and challenges of the completed initiatives as well as the implementation of ongoing and planned projects were discussed.

The meeting also examined the results of the AMS’ second self-assessment on the implementation of the ASEAN Consensus. Steady progress and increased efforts were observed to have been made in realising the commitments of the ASEAN Consensus.

The meeting also deliberated on the recently adopted ASEAN Declarations related to the protection of migrant workers, namely the ASEAN Declaration on Portability of Social Security Benefits for Migrant Workers in ASEAN, ASEAN Declaration on the Protection of Migrant Workers and Family Members in Crisis Situations, and ASEAN Declaration on the Placement and Protection of Migrant Fishers, as well as the ongoing development of the respective guidelines to turn commitments into concrete actions. The Action Plan 2018-2025 of the ASEAN Consensus is accessible here.

Representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) also attended the open session together with their respective donor partners from Australia, Canada, and the European Union (EU).

The open session concluded with representatives of ILO and IOM agreeing to review and update the ongoing partnership and to explore other priority areas for future collaboration, including strengthening efforts and initiatives to prevent human trafficking and labour exploitation of migrant workers as well as promoting safe and fair migration in the region.