International meeting looks for new strategies to manage labour migration

A four-country meeting organized by the ILO focuses on strategies to ensure that migration of people in search of work serves as a force for growth and development rather than opportuninties for human rights violations.

Press release | 29 November 2004

Strategies to ensure that the migration of people in search of work serves as a force for growth and development, rather than becoming an opportunity for exploitation and human rights violations, will be on the agenda at a four-country meeting in Bangkok this week.

Delegates from Thailand, Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Mongolia will be in Bangkok to attend “The High Level Consultation on Labour Migration Management” on 30th November 2004.

The one-day meeting is organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and will include contributions by ILO experts dealing with migration, trafficking in children and women, labour markets, and other topics. The roles of employers’ organisations and trade unions in managing migration will also be on the agenda.

Delegates will be briefed on the region’s key labour migration challenges by Prof Pradit Charoenthaitavee of Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission, and on the registration of migrant workers in Thailand by Mr Thapabutr Jamasevi, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Thai Ministry of Labour.

The high level meeting builds on a Resolution adopted at the ILO’s International Labour Conference, in June 2004, concerning achieving a fair deal for migrant workers in the global economy. The aim of the Bangkok meeting is to identify proposals for future work, including national initiatives and donor assistance.

Cambodia, Lao PDR, Mongolia and Thailand are members of an ILO technical co-operation project designed to strengthen their capacity for managing labour migration flows. In these economies overseas labour migration is seen as a way of relieving local unemployment problems, earning foreign exchange and enhancing skills development.

The meeting, which is being funded by the Korean government, will take place at the Siam City Hotel, Bangkok.

For more information please contact:
Krisdaporn Singhaseni
ILO Information Officer
Tel: + 02 288 1664
Email


Sophy Fisher
ILO Regional Information Officer
Tel: + 02 288 2482
Email