GENEVA (ILO News) – The severe impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on millions of migrant workers around the world will be discussed at an ILO press briefing.

The documents include assessments of the impact of COVID-19 on migrant workers in Hong Kong, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, the Arab states and the ASEAN region. They cover the effects on seasonal workers, refugee workers and other displaced persons.

There is also guidance on maximizing the benefits to home countries of the returning wave of migrants, recognizing skills, ensuring fair recruitment, extending social protection coverage, and finding new jobs or re-migrating safely.

EMBARGO: The press briefing and associated materials will be under STRICT EMBARGO until 10:00 GMT (12:00 Geneva time) on Wednesday 24 June.

For UNOG-accredited correspondents an embargoed virtual press briefing will take place at Wednesday 24 June from 09:00 to 10:00 GMT (11:00 to 12:00 Geneva time). Login details will be sent to journalists ahead of the briefing.

The findings will be presented by:

• Manuela Tomei, Director, Conditions of Work and Equality Department, ILO Geneva
• Michelle Leighton, Chief Labour Migration, ILO Geneva
• Ryszard Cholewinski, Regional Migration Specialist for the Arab States (Beirut)
• Nilim Baruah, Regional Migration Specialist for Asia and the Pacific (Bangkok)
• Shabari Nair, Labour Migration Specialist for South Asia (New Delhi)
• Theo Sparreboom, Labour Migration Specialist for Eastern and Southern Africa (Pretoria)

Embargoed copies of the press release and other materials can be made available to recognized media on request.

Audio of the briefing will be available to the Palais press corps and registered journalists after the press conference.

For further information and to arrange media interviews please contact the ILO Department of Communication: newsroom@ilo.org.

For broadcast coverage and interviews please contact: multimedia@ilo.org.