Inter parliamentarian meeting on gender responsive social protection for migrant workers

Nov 22-23, Bangkok

 

Equality, Security, Liberty, Integrity and dignity are fundamental element of human right or all men and women regardless of gender. And fighting to make is available for everyone regardless of gender, class, origin, belief and color is responsibility of all human being as well.

Respecting the statement above, Inter parliamentarian meeting on gender responsive social protection for migrant workers on Nov 22-23, 2013 Bangkok. The meeting was attended by ex/parliamentarian from 13 countries. The meeting was devoted to talk on how to protect migrant not only as right of workers, but also from gender point view.

Women have been discriminated in terms of earning, high restriction on mobility, more vulnerable in terms of travelling and working in the destination countries, violence against women as physically, mentally, psychological way, using language and media portrait etc. are major area to consider.

Labor migration great challenge of the 21st century.  Talking about the migration, there are some critical issues to address, since 232 millions estimated number of migrant over the world. Among them 90 percent are economically active and rest 10 per cent are children, dependent and refugees. Out of this active number 48.8 per cent are women.

Among the women, majority are housemaid and domestic service providers and major challenge is who and how to inspect their working condition. They are most exploited and vulnerable among the women migrant as well. That is why internationally, ratification of ILO convention no. 189 is getting high priority among the right base movement.

Parliamentarian can play extremely critical role to improve the situation. With this opinion the meeting was focused on gender responsive social protection of migrant. Following points has been identified to focus the initiation in the day to come.

  •  Identifying the specific needs and impact of migration on men and women differently
  • Bring up the issues to be competent authority such as parliament, government etc.
  • To do lobbying and advocacy to respond those needs in govt. policy and laws
  • Create pressure groups among parliamentarian and society/media etc.
  • Do monitoring the status of implementation and its impact
  • Develop and expand the networking in the region to learn/share the good practices
  • Put private bill, question, resolution etc. in the parliament and send petition to UN as well as other international and relevant authority etc.
  • To take some initiation to include the welfare component in corporate governance

Finally the meeting has officially established the Advisory Group of Asian Inter-parliamentarian caucus, having two ex/parliamentarian from each sub-region, who is actively involve on the issues. MFA will take secretarial role.  1476942_10153532429725646_1912905794_n

The first meeting of the advisory group has been held on 24th of Nov. and decided the following action plan for the year 2014

  • Visiting the Qatar to have more fact about the migrant workers
  • Visiting Malaysia as monitoring whether MOU has been implemented properly
  • Next Caucus meeting in September in Myanmar
  • Formation of parliamentarian caucus in each individual country.
  • To take initiation to develop/upgrade government to government MOU to insure social protection of migrant workers.
  • Compilation of necessary documents and information will be provided by MFA to facilitate the activities.