Representatives from the Colombo Process Member States, civil society, the private sector, and UN agencies convened in Bangkok to discuss best practices for enhancing access to remedies for migrant workers in Asia. Photo by IOM.

Bangkok - The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) of the Government of the Philippines, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA), today (16 August) hosted a round table discussion on The Future of Remedy for Migrant Workers in Asia. This event convened diverse stakeholders to engage on promising practices in the implementation of State and non-State-based grievance mechanisms across the region.

The round table provided a platform for candid conversations to discuss existing challenges, identifying gaps, and highlighting best practices aimed at enhancing access to remedy for migrant workers. The event fostered invaluable knowledge exchange, enabling stakeholders to share their experiences, learn from each other, and explore collaborative approaches to strengthen the access of migrant workers to grievance mechanisms and remedy.

Ms. Erica Villborg, Second Secretary for Swedish Regional Development Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific at the Embassy of Sweden in Thailand, delivered her opening remarks. Photo by IOM.

Speaking during the TAWG inaugural session, Erica Villborg, Second Secretary for Swedish Regional Development Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific at the Embassy of Sweden in Thailand, shared, "Today's regional discussion serves as an open platform for constructive dialogue, facilitating the exchange of ideas to address the challenges encountered by migrant workers. The Swedish Government has been supporting IOM in its efforts to collaborate with the private sector to enhance the protection and empowerment of migrant workers."  

During the round table, IOM launched its latest publication, titled "Accelerating Access to Remedy: Promising Practices to Enhance Access to Remedy for Migrant Workers in South-East Asia." Developed under the IOM’s Corporate Responsibility in Eliminating Slavery and Trafficking (CREST) program, funded by the Government of Sweden, this publication provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of migrant workers’ access to remedy in Hong Kong SAR China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. These insights are designed to foster cooperation among States, businesses, civil society, and other relevant actors in establishing effective grievance mechanisms that also address gender-specific vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers.

"IOM remains dedicated to promoting the well-being and safeguarding the rights of migrant workers in Asia," said Sarah Arriola, IOM Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. "Through fostering multi-stakeholder engagement and knowledge exchange, this round table aimed to strengthen the protection and rights of migrant workers in the region. We firmly believe that providing access to effective remedy mechanisms is a critical step towards ensuring the dignity and welfare of all migrant workers."

Panel discussion on IOM's new publication, 'Accelerating Access to Remedy: Promising Practices to Enhance Access to Remedy for Migrant Workers in South-East Asia.' Photo by IOM.

Discussions were built on the momentum generated by the 5th Colombo Process (CP) Thematic Area Working Group (TAWG) on Pre-Departure Orientation and Empowerment (PDOE) meeting in March 2023, which focused on advancing information sharing and empowerment for migrant workers and their families through pre-departure orientation. In that meeting, civil society also emphasized the need for increased engagement on the topic of access to remedy.

As part of the 6th PDOE TAWG meeting scheduled for 17 August, CP member states will reconvene in Bangkok to provide updates on their work relevant to the TAWG's goals and share best practices among CP member states and observers, including civil society representatives. The meeting also entailed a review of the national progress made in alignment with the four-year work plan developed through discussions at the 5th PDOE TAWG meeting.

The regional discussions concluded with a resounding call for collective collaboration among stakeholders, underlining the paramount importance of promoting and safeguarding the rights and well-being of migrant workers in Asia.

For more information of the round table, please contact Anastasia Vynnychenko (avynnychenko@iom.int) or Andrew Gray (ajgray@iom.int). For media inquiries, please contact Nguyen Thi Hong Yen (thihnguyen@iom.int).