Nations pledge effort to protect workers<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Labor ministers from labor exporting and importing countries have
\nagreed to increase regional and bilateral cooperation to protect
\nmigrant workers and improve their welfare.<\/p>\n
The agreement was reached as the ministers concluded their
\nthird annual consultation meeting in Bali late on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"The ministerial consultation recommends the enhancement of
\nregional and bilateral cooperation to make the management of
\noverseas employment programs effective, and to prepare regulatory
\nframeworks and allied measures to prevent malpractice and abuses
\neither during recruitment or employment,\" the ministers said in
\nan official statement.<\/p>\n
In attendance at the meeting were 10 major labor exporting
\ncountries: Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the
\nPhilippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and host Indonesia.
\nSeven large labor importing countries were also in attendance.
\nThey were: Bahrain, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi
\nArabia and the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n
Representatives from the International Labor Organization
\n(ILO), the World Bank, the International Organization for
\nMigration, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations also
\nattended the two-day meeting.<\/p>\n
According to the statement, labor exporting countries are
\nrecommended to ensure the safe recruitment and travel of migrant
\nworkers, provide the workers with the necessary training and help
\nto build the institutional capacity of national partners,
\nincluding non-governmental organizations and labor exporters.<\/p>\n
Labor importing countries are recommended to adopt
\ninternational humanitarian laws, including the ILO convention on
\nthe protection of migrant workers, to ensure the safe employment
\nand protection of migrant workers.<\/p>\n
The consultation meeting identified the increasing flow of
\nmigrant workers to the Middle East and Europe from Asia as the
\nmain challenge for both labor exporting and importing countries,
\nparticularly providing the workers with sufficient protection
\nduring their travel and employment.<\/p>\n
An estimated 2.6 million Asian workers left their home
\ncountries last year to work in the Middle East, South Korea,
\nJapan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Europe. South Asian countries such
\nas Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India accounted for 46 percent of
\nthat total, while Southeast Asian countries such as the
\nPhilippines, Indonesia and Vietnam made up 50 percent.<\/p>\n
Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain have become the main
\ndestinations in Europe for professionals and semiskilled workers
\nfrom Asia over the last decade.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and the Philippines are two largest labor exporting
\ncountries in Southeast Asia. Indonesia exports about 400,000
\nworkers a year, mostly women who are employed as maids in the
\nMiddle East, Hong Kong and Taiwan with an average monthly salary
\nof between US$200 and $400.<\/p>\n
The number of Indonesian workers employed overseas has reached
\ntwo million. These workers send back about $4 billion to the
\ncountry each year. The Philippines exports about 800,000 workers
\nannually, mostly employed in the formal sector. The country's
\nlabor exports contribute about $10 billion in foreign exchange
\nearnings to the country each year.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nations-pledge-effort-to-protect-workers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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