Migrant Forum in Asia

Migrants and the ASEANMigrants and the ASEAN

0ctober 2003

2Migrant Forum in Asia

Lack of mention of migrants in any ASEAN declaration

Migrants are only mentioned in the ASEAN in three areas:– Security issues– Trafficking– Trade in services (professional and skilled workers)– Functional Cooperation: labour, accreditation of

skills, social mobility

0ctober 2003

3Migrant Forum in Asia

MIGRANTS ISSUES IN THE ASEAN (1)MIGRANTS ISSUES IN THE ASEAN (1)

The non-recognition of indigenous community in the ASEAN. They are considered as illegal migrants

Lack of recognition for “unskilled” labour. Biggest number of migrants in ASEAN do not fall into the category of skilled or professionals

Brain drain among sending countries Non interference and health issues of migrants - Some

states create an environment where people are forced to migrate. These migrants are forced to be undocumented with little or no access to adequate health care.

0ctober 2003

4Migrant Forum in Asia

MIGRANTS ISSUES IN ASEAN (2)MIGRANTS ISSUES IN ASEAN (2)

Migrants abuses: pre-departure, on-site and return or reintegration. – Pre-dep: exaction of exhorbitant fees render them in debt

bondage;– slavery like conditions in Indonesian training camps and

issue of forced labour– On-site: lack of labour protection for migrant workers onsite.

Domestic workers are not covered by labour laws. Lack of recognition of women workers contribution to the economy (domestic workers).

Lack of labour policy in the ASEAN region Migrants are not allowed to form unions or join unions

in the host countries

0ctober 2003

5Migrant Forum in Asia

MIGRANTS ISSUES IN THE ASEAN (3)MIGRANTS ISSUES IN THE ASEAN (3)

Discriminatory practices in wages. Some nationalities have lower wages for the same work. “Cheap labour”

Lack of recognition of skills of workers in the region. No ASEAN accreditation (e.g. nurses)

Criminalization of undocumented workers Broker system promoting trafficking Trafficking as an accepted form of migration in

some countries

0ctober 2003

6Migrant Forum in Asia

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS

Engage the ASEAN and call for labour policies in the region (“labour circulation”, “ASEAN people’s movement within ASEAN)

Call for labour protection in the region that will include the protection of migrant workers

Call for the recognition of equal pay for equal work Engage host and home countries on their

responsibilities to protect migrants CSOs to create new methods of engagement, forge

solidarity within the migrant sector, with other sectors and interlink the issue of migration to overarching issues of debt, poverty, sustainable development.