A national meeting was held in Hanoi on September 9 to prepare for the ninth ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour (AFML), slated for this November in Vientiane, Laos.

The AFML is an annual activity of the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN declaration on the protection and promotion of migrant workers’ rights. From November 9-10, the ninth forum will discuss existing social welfares for ASEAN migrant workers and work towards the mobility of social insurance for the target group.

ILO Country Director for Vietnam Chang-Hee Lee speaking at the meeting (Photo: thanhtra.com.vn)

At the preparatory meeting, held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), participants said amid growing integration and globalisation, migrant workers have substantially contributed to economic growth and sustainable development of both their home and host countries.

Although the ASEAN Economic Community has geared up measures to facilitate the movement of skilled labour, most of regional migrant workers are low-skilled.

The approaching AFML’s focus on social welfares for migrant workers is necessary and well-timed as many migrant workers in ASEAN haven’t benefited from social welfares. They have no longer enjoyed some of their rights at home and faced unfairness in their host countries.

It is important to ensure equal access to social welfares between workers in the formal and informal sectors. The implementation of bilateral social welfare agreements to ensure the mobility of social insurance will help migrant workers ensure their rights when working abroad, participants noted.

The meeting featured five sessions during which representatives of the Government and social organisations looked into activities done to realise the recommendations made at the previous AFMLs. They also suggested proposals for Vietnam to submit at the upcoming forums.

Source: VNA