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Regional Seminar on Integration Policies for Immigrants, Refugees, and Returned Migrants The Cooperation of ILO in Labour Migration. San José, Costa Rica, February 23, 2012. CONTEXT.
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Regional Seminar on Integration Policies for Immigrants, Refugees, and Returned Migrants The Cooperation of ILO in Labour Migration San José, Costa Rica, February 23, 2012
CONTEXT • ILO estimates that of the total number of 214 million persons living outside their country of origin, 105 million persons are economically active. • 1 out of every 6 homes in Central America has been affected by international migration of at least one of its members. • Intraregional migration is significant: 85% of the immigrants in Mexico and Central America come from within the region. • A significant demand exists for labour with limited skills or relatively limited skills.
CONTEXT • The deficit of decent employment for migrant populations is higher than for national citizens and is linked to migration status. • Migration flows have an impacton the economic and social development and the development of the labour market in countries of origin and destination. • The magnitude of migrant populations – regular and irregular – creates political pressure and pressure in terms of access to social services.
CONTEXT • Experiences of regulating migration flows exist, but a lack of synergies with employers and unions to advance in developing policies on labour migration is also observed. • Objective, updated, and relevant information sources are required for decision-making and awareness-raising. • Labour inspection is unable to address violations to the labour rights of migrants.
The Role of ILO • ILO is involved in protection of the rights of migrant workers since its inception, more than 90 ago. Regulations have been developed and actions have been implemented to ensure the basic rights and dignity of migrants and to protect them against any type of discrimination in the workplace. • An essential part of the objectives of the Organization, as expressed in agreements and programmatic documents: Agreement on Migrant Workers (revised), 1949 (No. 97) and Recommendation No. 86, 1949; Agreement on Migrant Workers (complementary provisions), 1975 (No. 143) and Recommendation No. 151, 1975; Multilateral Framework for Migration; Hemispheric Agenda; Resolution and Conclusions on fair treatment of migrant workers, etc.
Fair Treatment of Migrant Workers Avoiding discrimination and exploitation Coherent, effective and equitable policies
To strengthen the capacity of decision-makers and social actors to develop gender-sensitive policies, legislation, and administrative regulations ILO Cooperation in the Region: Gender-Sensitive Labour Migration Policy Project
1) Improving the Regulation of Migration Flows • Technical assistance for Statistics Units in Ministries of Labour in order to improve data on labour migration disaggregated by gender and data collection, analysis, dissemination, and use in home surveys. • Workshops on standardization of statistics to generate information that is comparable from a gender perspective. • Preparing a national report studying the possibility of including the ILO module on labour migration statistics in future home surveys.
Research on Intraregional Labour Migration Flows • A joint effort of ILO, through the Regional Labour Market Observatories, IOM, and the Network of Observatories of Central America and the Dominican Republic. • Case studies were conducted in 7 countries in the region: Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama (receiving States), and Honduras and Nicaragua (sending States). • Economic sectors included in the studies: Agriculture, construction, tourism, commerce, and household work. • A study was conducted on the Dominican Republic-Haiti, coordinated by the Labour Market Observatory of the Dominican Republic. • A combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques were used. • CID Gallup was in charge of interviews and focal groups.
Incorporating Young Migrants into the Labour Market • Policies should be oriented toward improving access to productive employment, facilitating training for work and entrepreneurial skills, promoting the development of sectors with a higher potential for generating employment for young persons, and improving the quality of employment and the productivity of work.
Incorporating Intraregional Migrant Women into Remunerated and Non-remunerated Employment • To promote guaranteeing the labour and human rights of migrant women, especially for household workers. • To include a gender perspective in developing and analysing public policies oriented toward this sector of the population. • To conduct an in-depth analysis of the particular characteristics of sectors where migrant women work.
Labour Conditions and Labour Rights • Migrants themselves should make use of different legal mechanisms protecting their labour and human rights. To achieve this, it is essential to promote information, education, and dissemination campaigns with the aim of informing workers and employers on the rights of irregular migrant workers.
Empowering Migrants in the Region • Integrated information systems need to be established, as well as mechanisms to inform migrant workers about labour markets and living conditions in countries of destination. In this regard, Labour Market Observatories could play a highly significant role.
Final Considerations • In summary, cooperation by ILO in Central America, Haiti, Panama, and the Dominican Republic shall be implemented around three central themes: • 1) To improve migration management as well as the management of labour migration flows, including a gender approach in designing labour migration policies and in the regulatory framework. • 2) To facilitate access to social security for migrant workers that contribute to the development of the agriculture and construction sectors, as well as for household workers. • 3) To promote mechanisms for certification of competencies in these sectors.
Final Considerations • Gender-sensitive policies cannot be understood outside the context of economic and social policies in countries of origin and destination of migrants. • If appropriate policies and regulations are in place, economic migration could be an opportunity for countries of origin and destination. This requires political will and institutional capacity. Permanent and effective spaces for transnational dialogue are essential. In addition, it is crucial that social actors take on a pro-active role. These are the areas where ILO can undoubtedly provide support.
Final Considerations • Professional education, including the development and certification of the competencies of migrant workers, and social security, including portability of the rights of migrant workers, are instruments that need to be especially considered in designing comprehensive migration strategies and policies.
