Regional Consultation on Young Trade Union Leaders' Engagement in Labour Migration Governance in South Asia

SARTUC, in partnership with Mondiaal FNV, conducted the "Regional Consultation on Young Trade Union Leaders' Engagement in Labour Migration Governance in South Asia" in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 2-3 July 2024. This consultation aimed to empower young trade union leaders to advocate for the rights and welfare of migrant workers effectively and equipped with advocacy and campaign tools.

https://www.sartuc.org/document/regional-consultation-on-young-trade-union-leaders-engagement-in-labour-migration-governance-in-south-asia/

Labour migration from South Asia has significantly shaped the economic landscape of the region, with millions of youth seeking opportunities abroad due to various socio-economic factors. Despite contributing substantially to remittance inflows, migrant workers often face challenges such as unfair recruitment practices, exploitation, wage theft, and limited access to justice and social protections. Recognizing these issues, SARTUC, in partnership with Mondiaal FNV, conducted the "Regional Consultation on Young Trade Union Leaders' Engagement in Labour Migration Governance in South Asia" in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 2-3 July 2024. This consultation aimed to empower young trade union leaders to advocate for the rights and welfare of migrant workers effectively and equipped with advocacy and campaign tools.

Objectives

  • To engage youth leadership from SARTUC affiliates on the issues of labour migration governance in South Asia;
  • To enhance the ideas of campaigning and advocacy for promoting safer migration and enhancing labour migration governance in South Asia at regional as well as national levels through the SARTUC affiliates;
  • To capacitate the organising skills of the youth Trade Union leaders to encourage more youth involvement in the trade union movements, advocating for the rights of migrant workers and engaging in policy dialogues;

Conclusion

The regional consultation successfully engaged young trade union leaders in a meaningful discussion, fostering collaboration and empowering them to advocate for migrant workers' rights effectively. Moving forward, SARTUC aims to build on the outcomes of this consultation to further strengthen the role of youth in shaping labour migration policies and practices across South Asia. The spirit of collaboration and the commitment to action demonstrated by the participants offer a shine of hope for a future where South Asian migrant workers can work with dignity and contribute to the development of both their origin and destination countries. Importantly, the participants also expressed their commitment to discussing the topics of migrant workers with their senior leadership and the youth committee will be activated to work for the betterment and welfare of migrant workers promoting advocacy and campaigns from trade union levels to country levels to regional levels, collaborating with other national trade union centres and SARTUC.