1. Trade Union Training on Rights-Based Approach to Labour Migration
Partnerships to Better Protect Migrant Workers: Alliance building
-National, Bilateral and Transitional Cooperation
DAY 3
Facilitated by:
ACHAKOMA Atong Kennedy (Ph.D)
Venue: Lome, June 27 –July 1, 2016: ITUC-Africa

2. Main Features of Africa Labour Migration
Introduction
Main Features of Africa Labour Migration
High concentration to Europe, USA, Gulf States and Middle east countries.
There is also inter-regional mobility (south-south) to destinations: Nigeria, RSA, Kenya & others*
Mobility becoming feminized, and also with large number of informal and irregular migration status.
Dominated by semi/low skilled workers, but also gradual increase in professionals.
At destinations, migrants work in low wage occupations (e.g domestic & construction) & areas with serious DW deficits.
Commercialization of the recruitment industry.
Share of PEAs reduced drastically and paving way for thriving PrEAs and intermediaries in both Origin and Host
G2G approach in some countries without inclusion of Unions

3. Challenges
While market forces are the major drivers of labour migration, we have identified several signs of market failures:
Recruitment malpractices
Forced labour
Employment in hazardous jobs
Racism and xenophobia
Lack of labour market policies
Data

4. Partnerships/collaborations
Areas of Intervention
Five areas:
Data/information and Awareness
Numbers, composition and perception
Governance
Recruitment practices, effective LMP
Protection
Ratify ILO Conventions, engagement (CSOs) and protection at all stages of migration.
Labour migration and development linkages
Integration, engaging diaspora, return & reintegration etc
Partnerships/collaborations

5. Why Partnerships
Recent crisis and challenges have highlighted the need for a coordinated approach to migration governance and management for development
The perception and reality out there is-the issue of migration has not been handled well. What might be the reason?
Substantial differences between regions, sub-regions and countries.
Increased expectations, but individual efforts limited
Migration is a multifaceted phenomenon
While unions attempt to organize migrant workers, it can be difficult for them, especially those involved in irregular, temporary and circular migration to join unions
Cooperation between unions in origin and destination countries can be useful in addressing these protection gaps.

6. What is the priority? Drivers and challenges
What are the gaps……..Potential areas of enhanced cooperation/collaboration
Promote dialogue
Prevention and awareness raising campaigns
Return and reintegration
Promotion/establishment of referral centres/mechanisms
Collection of data and dissemination
Improve public perception of migrants
What are own capacities etc
Forms of partnerships/cooperation and with who?
National
Bilateral and Sub-Regional
Multilateral
Union to Union
Bilateral agreements and MOUs, Consultative forums

7. Forms of partnerships and with who contd..
Engaging regional groupings
Media
Civil society
Donors
GUFs
Migrant Associations
Diaspora
Venue: LOME, ITUC-AFRICA, 2016

8. Strategies/Tools and Good Practices
Resources
Organizing
Good Practices
Unions in Senegal (CNTS) and Mauritania (CGTM)
Venue: LOME, ITUC-AFRICA, 2016

9. Venue: LOME, ITUC-AFRICA, 2016
Sri Lanka TUs and Unions in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait
Three bilateral cooperation agreements for the protection of the rights of migrant workers in May 2009
The model agreement has since been used in bilateral and multilateral agreements in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
In 2010, trade unions from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Niger, and Togo adopted the model agreement at an ILO-sponsored trade union training seminar in Nouakchott.
At a September 2012 Global Unions Strategy Meeting on migration in Brussels, the ITUC and Global Union Federations stressed that 'cooperation agreements between trade unions in countries of origin and destination can also facilitate workers' organization in trade unions'.
A number of the cooperation agreements have been signed under the umbrella of the ITUC.
Venue: LOME, ITUC-AFRICA, 2016

10. Conclusion & Way forward
Until recently, there appears not to be any coherent policy and strategy to govern and manage migration issues and challenges at many levels by both unions and government.
Events have shown that a new approach needs to be adopted by all to make the management of migration sustainable.
Addressing the challenges of migration requires effective regulation, coordination and collaboration with all stakeholders.
Venue: LOME, ITUC-AFRICA, 2016

11. END THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION Merci {}
Venue: LOME, ITUC-AFRICA, 2016