Opening Plenary: Global Progress Towards Fair, Ethical and Responsible Recruitment
Guna Subramaniam, South East Asia Regional Advisor, IHRB
Thanks everyone for joining the Opening Plenary of GFRR 2021. Guna Subramaniam here from IHRB, playing the role of Rapporteur. Pleased to share some of the key takeaways from the discussion.
The Pandemic
- The Pandemic has intensified pre-existing risks and migrant workers are among the most vulnerable.
- Recruitment must be performed in a way that mitigates risks and exposure to COVID-19.
- We need to double our efforts to ensure women migrant workers (42%) receive fair and ethical recruitment and employment, as they can become invisible due to the jobs they do. They are often frontline workers.- Rae Lindsay (IHRB)
- Call for a justice mechanism for migrant workers. For more @mfasia_
The Need for Collaboration
- "Without coordination, we will not succeed”- António Vitorino (IOM)
- We must acknowledge the complexity of the challenge involving various stakeholders in the recruitment process. No one actor can take this on their own. When we have a harmonised response we can change systems, processes, increase accountability, and impact how the market works.
- The Leadership Group with 15 international brands, making the commitment to the Employer Pays Principle, is an attempt at leveraging collaborative change.
Respect and dignity
- "The respect we accord to migrant workers and the dignity of their work reflects on us as a society" - Guy Ryder (ILO)
- "... the beginning of decent work is fair and ethical recruitment"- António Vitorino (IOM)
- We must be persistent to achieve ethical recruitment and creative about the solutions that will put migrant workers at the centre of the lens.
Changing the Narrative, Perceptions of Migrant Workers
- We need to acknowledge the positive contribution migrant workers make to the economy globally.
- And also how they support sustainable development through remittances they send back to their home countries.
- We need to consider how we can increase equality for migrant workers and through their role in economic development.
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