Migrant Worker Resource Centres (MRCs)
- Responsible Organisations: International Labour Organization (ILO) (International Organisation)
- ILO Regions: Asia and the Pacific
- Country(ies): Cambodia; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia; Myanmar; Thailand; Viet Nam
- Thematic areas: Fair recruitment; Protection; Social integration and inclusion
- MLFLM: 13.; 8.; 9.(a),(b),(c); 11.; 14.
Description
In the Greater Mekong Sub-region, migrants often lack information about safe migration and rights at work, and have limited access to support services. To tackle this issue, ILO's GMS TRIANGLE project (Tripartite Action to Protect Migrant Workers within and from the Greater Mekong Subregion from Labour Exploitation), funded by the Australian Government, has set up 21 Migrant Worker Resource Centres (MRCs) across the region. A variety of partner institutions, including job centres within provincial labour departments, trade unions and civil society organisations, were involved in their creation. The project links the MRCs in certain migration corridors to ensure greater cross-border cooperation and provide migrant workers with assistance at all stages. In countries of origin, MRCs serve as focal points for potential migrants to obtain accurate information and counselling on safe migration and rights at work, as well as for lodging complaints against recruitment agents and employers. In destination countries, the MRCs provide legal assistance, serve as an accessible bridge to the local authorities and deliver training on various topics. The project has developed a set of monitoring and evaluation guidelines for the MRCs and delivered training to MRC staff so that the impact of services can be tracked. After just over three years of operation, the MRCs have reached over 38,000 beneficiaries, 40 per cent of whom are women. The Centres also distribute information materials throughout the communities. For example, the Migrant Action Programme (MAP) Foundation in Thailand produces a weekly radio programme on 'Organising for Justice' in Burmese and Shan.
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