Vietnam backs ILO’s initiative on fair migration

Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen.

Vietnam strongly supports initiatives set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in building an agenda for fair migration to ensure legitimate rights of labourers, said Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen.

Chuyen stated this at the ongoing 103^rd International Labour Conference hosted by the ILO in Geneva, Switzerland, which started on May 28, with the participation of over 4,000 delegates from 185 member countries.

Delivering a report on June 11, the minister said Vietnam always gives priority to promoting and ensuring sustainable employment for migrant labourers. She affirmed the country applauds ILO’s efforts in eliminating forced labour in the world and has included the ban on forced labour in its Constitution, the Labour Code, the Criminal Code and other laws.

The Vietnamese Government also advocates an initiative of the Vietnam Labour Export Association to issue a code of conduct for labour exporting enterprises under the assistance of the ILO, she noted.

During the meeting, Chuyen also briefed delegates on Vietnam’s participation in the Colombo and Bali processes, the Abu Dhabi Dialogue and a cooperation programme between ASEAN member nations on migrant labour.

She said Vietnam has approved a number of ILO’s conventions on maritime labour and on occupational safety and health. The country amended its Labour Code in 2012 and issued the Law on Employment last year, while working to revise the Law on Social Insurance, the Law on Vocational Training and build a draft law on labour safety and sanitation and another bill on minimum wage.

Minister Chuyen voiced Vietnam’s backing of ILO efforts to protect the legitimate rights and interests of labourers, adding that in that spirit, Vietnam resolutely objects to and called for an immediate termination of violation and provocative acts in Vietnam’s waters in the East Sea. She stressed that these acts seriously threaten the safety, working environment and livelihoods of Vietnamese labourers at sea, and run counter to international labour standards, and the ILO’s Convention No. 186 on Maritime Labour.

The Vietnamese minister called on concerned countries and international community to support Vietnam’s efforts to solve the dispute in the East Sea by peaceful measures in line with international law.

On the sidelines of plenary sittings, the Vietnamese delegation held a number of bilateral meetings with ILO leaders, ASEAN ministers, the US and Switzerland delegations. Minister Chuyen also attended a conference of ministers from Asia-Pacific nations.