The ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers

• Responsible Organisations: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (International Organisation)
• ILO Regions: Asia and the Pacific
• Country(ies): Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; Indonesia; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia; Myanmar; Philippines; Singapore; Thailand; Viet Nam
• Thematic areas: Migration and development; Protection; Regional labour mobility; Strengthening workers' and employers' organisations
• MLFLM: 15.; 8.; 9.(a),(b),(c); 11.; 2.; 6.

Description

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers was adopted by the ASEAN heads of state in Cebu, Philippines in 2007. The Declaration calls on countries of origin and destination to ensure the dignity of migrant workers by outlining their obligations in the areas of: (i) protection from exploitation, discrimination, and violence; (ii) labour migration governance; and (iii) the fight against trafficking in persons. Following the signing of the Declaration, a Committee on the Implementation of the Declaration was set up to advance efforts in these areas. The Committee is currently in the process of drafting an ASEAN instrument on the protection and promotion of migrant workers' rights. As one of the Committee's recommended activities, ASEAN convenes a yearly Forum on Migrant Labour (AFML), which serves as an open platform for review, discussion and exchange of best practices and ideas between governments, workers' and employers' organisations, and civil society stakeholders on key issues facing migrant workers in Southeast Asia. The Forum seeks to develop recommendations to advance the implementation of the principles of the ASEAN Declaration.

Documents

• Text of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers
  (Declaration.pdf; 78kb)
• ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour: Background information booklet
  (AFML.pdf; 10,898kb)