ILO Regional Director calls for SAARC countries to come together for a fair agenda for migrant workers
He expressed his high hopes that forthcoming SAARC Summit will include an agenda item on migrant workers.
KATHMANDU (ILO News) –The International Labour Organization's Assistant Director and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr Yoshiteru Uramoto, encourages SAARC countries for greater strategic cooperation for the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers from the region.
ILO's Assistant Director General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Yoshiteru Uramoto has called for the need to come together for greater strategic cooperation among labour sending countries in the South Asia to promote a fair migration agenda for the migrant workers as the SAARC forum can play a key role to ensure millions of migrant workers and their families get the fair deal they deserve.
After concluding his meetings with the officials in India, Mr. Uramoto arrived in Kathmandu on 21 September leading a high-level ILO mission as part of the ILO’s efforts to improve the situation of migration governance systems in the region. The mission members included Ms Tine Staermose, Director, ILO Decent Work Team for South Asia and Country Office for India and Mr Nilim Baruah, Labour Migration Specialist.
During the meeting with Secretary General of SAARC Secretariat, H.E Mr Arjun Bahadur Thapa, the ILO Regional Director said that SAARC countries share many of the same challenges and opportunities related to the recruitment and employment of their out-bound migrant workers. He further added that SAARC countries will benefit through discussions and agreement on reducing recruitment costs and promoting fair recruitment practices, wage protection and fair remuneration. The SAARC Secretary General, appreciated the role of ILO in advancing the protection of migrant workers from South Asia.
The ILO mission also met and discussed the same issues with the Honourable Minister of State, Ministry of Labour and Employment (MOLE), Mr Tek Bahadur Gurung, who shared with the ILO mission the ongoing initiatives of the Government of Nepal to address the challenges faced by Nepali migrant workers.
Although labour migration brings economic benefits to the sending countries, Mr. Uramoto expressed concerns about bitter realities experienced by migrant workers abroad, such as non- payment of wage, long working hours and hazardous working conditions. He said, “SAARC coming together could strengthen the cooperation and dialogue between sending countries and receiving countries through multilateral agreements which could benefit millions of workers from South Asia.
The ILO's Regional Director also met with Secretary General of the South Asia Regional Trade Union Council (SARTUC) Mr Laxman Basnet, and presidents of the All Nepal Federation of Trade Unions (ANTUF) - Mr Shalik Ram Jamkattel, Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC)–Mr Khila Nath Dahal and Secretary General of General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) –Mr Bishnu Lamsal, members of SARTUC.
During the meeting, SARTUC members briefed the ILO team on their initiatives. Mr Uramoto expressed his satisfaction over the advocacy efforts of SARTUC in the region and said “We appreciate that trade unions from South Asia are unified in their demands for protection of migrant workers”.
Mr. Uramoto also met with the Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee for drafting the SAARC Declaration, Dr Bhekh Bahadur Thapa and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yagya Bahadur Hamal and discussed the importance of initiating dialogue amongst SAARC members on social protection of the migrant workers outside the SAARC region.
“ILO, with its decent work and social protection mandate, stands ready to provide technical assistance to the SAARC countries for realizing a fair migration agenda”, the Regional Director said. He expressed his high hopes that forthcoming SAARC Summit will include an agenda item on migrant workers.
For further information please contact:
Mr Jose Assalino
Director
ILO Country Office for Nepal
Tel. +977 1 5555777
Email: kathmandu@ilo.org
ILO's Assistant Director General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Yoshiteru Uramoto has called for the need to come together for greater strategic cooperation among labour sending countries in the South Asia to promote a fair migration agenda for the migrant workers as the SAARC forum can play a key role to ensure millions of migrant workers and their families get the fair deal they deserve.
After concluding his meetings with the officials in India, Mr. Uramoto arrived in Kathmandu on 21 September leading a high-level ILO mission as part of the ILO’s efforts to improve the situation of migration governance systems in the region. The mission members included Ms Tine Staermose, Director, ILO Decent Work Team for South Asia and Country Office for India and Mr Nilim Baruah, Labour Migration Specialist.
During the meeting with Secretary General of SAARC Secretariat, H.E Mr Arjun Bahadur Thapa, the ILO Regional Director said that SAARC countries share many of the same challenges and opportunities related to the recruitment and employment of their out-bound migrant workers. He further added that SAARC countries will benefit through discussions and agreement on reducing recruitment costs and promoting fair recruitment practices, wage protection and fair remuneration. The SAARC Secretary General, appreciated the role of ILO in advancing the protection of migrant workers from South Asia.
The ILO mission also met and discussed the same issues with the Honourable Minister of State, Ministry of Labour and Employment (MOLE), Mr Tek Bahadur Gurung, who shared with the ILO mission the ongoing initiatives of the Government of Nepal to address the challenges faced by Nepali migrant workers.
Although labour migration brings economic benefits to the sending countries, Mr. Uramoto expressed concerns about bitter realities experienced by migrant workers abroad, such as non- payment of wage, long working hours and hazardous working conditions. He said, “SAARC coming together could strengthen the cooperation and dialogue between sending countries and receiving countries through multilateral agreements which could benefit millions of workers from South Asia.
The ILO's Regional Director also met with Secretary General of the South Asia Regional Trade Union Council (SARTUC) Mr Laxman Basnet, and presidents of the All Nepal Federation of Trade Unions (ANTUF) - Mr Shalik Ram Jamkattel, Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC)–Mr Khila Nath Dahal and Secretary General of General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) –Mr Bishnu Lamsal, members of SARTUC.
During the meeting, SARTUC members briefed the ILO team on their initiatives. Mr Uramoto expressed his satisfaction over the advocacy efforts of SARTUC in the region and said “We appreciate that trade unions from South Asia are unified in their demands for protection of migrant workers”.
Mr. Uramoto also met with the Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee for drafting the SAARC Declaration, Dr Bhekh Bahadur Thapa and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yagya Bahadur Hamal and discussed the importance of initiating dialogue amongst SAARC members on social protection of the migrant workers outside the SAARC region.
“ILO, with its decent work and social protection mandate, stands ready to provide technical assistance to the SAARC countries for realizing a fair migration agenda”, the Regional Director said. He expressed his high hopes that forthcoming SAARC Summit will include an agenda item on migrant workers.
For further information please contact:
Mr Jose Assalino
Director
ILO Country Office for Nepal
Tel. +977 1 5555777
Email: kathmandu@ilo.org