Migrant Forum in Asia Migrants and the ASEAN

Migrant Forum in Asia 0ctober 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

Migrant Forum in Asia 0ctober 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.

Migrant Forum in Asia 0ctober 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

Migrant Forum in Asia 0ctober 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

Migrant Forum in Asia 0ctober RECOMMENDATIONS 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.