ASEAN, EU join hands in protecting labour migrants in Southeast Asia

Delegates to 2nd ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Safe and Fair Labour Migration (Photo: ASEAN Secretariat)

Hanoi - The 2nd ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Safe and Fair Labour Migration and the launch of awareness-raising campaign videos for the ASEAN Safe and Fair Migration Campaign, held in the Philippines on July 4-7, brought together over 70 policymakers, practitioners, and representatives of civil society and international organisations.

They explored ways to better protect the rights of 7.1 million ASEAN migrants in the region, ensuring their valuable contribution to sustainable economic development.

The audio-visual products (AVPs) of the Public Campaign on Safe and Fair Migration in ASEAN were developed to equip prospective and current migrant workers with reliable and comprehensive information to help them prepare better for migration and safeguard against exploitation. For more effective outreach, these materials are available in English, Khmer, Bahasa Indonesia, Laotian, Burmese, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese.

In her keynote address, Philippine Migrant Workers Secretary Susan V. Ople noted the crucial role information and education play in the empowerment of millions of migrant workers across the region.

Chihoko Asada-Miyakawa, International Labour Organisation (ILO) Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, stated that with the resumption of post-pandemic labour migration, it is critical to strengthen information and services to help make migration safe and fair.

These AVPs, supplementing existing education materials, will make a valuable contribution towards decent work and social justice for women and men migrant workers in the ASEAN region and beyond.

“Migration is a vital component of development, as it contributes to global economic growth and eradicating poverty. With the increasing prominence of migration in our society, there is a pressing need to prioritise its safety and fairness”, Igor Driesmans, EU Ambassador to ASEAN, stated in his remarks.

ASEAN, G7 foster judicial cooperation The ASEAN-G7 Justice Ministers' Interface convened in Tokyo, Japan on July 7, aiming to foster cooperation among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Group of Seven (G7) countries in the field of law and justice.