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Home / Campaigns / Recruitment Reform

Recruitment Reform

RecruitmentReform.org is a global online platform that strategically collates information on campaigns, policies and initiatives, events, case studies, news articles, laws, and international conventions related to recruitment. It seeks to continuously update visitors of the realities on migration recruitment and the initiatives that exist to address or in some cases exacerbate these concerns.

It is evident today that recruitment practices plays an important role in the entire cycle of migration from the initial stage of recruitment, to pre-departure training, to signing of contracts, to conciliation and repatriation. In light of this, the need for collective global initiatives that will strategically address the problems in labour recruitment has never been more crucial than today.

In the last Global Forum on Migration and Development Civil Society Days (GFMD CSD) in Stockholm, a series of meetings was organized on labour migration and recruitment. Among the recommendations was to establish an Open Working Group on Labour Migration and Recruitment and to create a global knowledge-based online platform on recruitment.

RecruitmentReform.org is run and managed by a small team based in the MFA Secretariat. MFA continuously adds data to the online platform and invites comments on how the online platform can be further improved. To signify interest for collaboration or if you would like to contribute relevant resource materials, please send MFA an email at mfa@mfasia.org

Visit the online platform here: http://recruitmentreform.org

 

Resources and Campaign Materials

January 21, 2021Migrant Forum in Asia in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration is organizing a webinar on Access to Technology and Fair Recruitment on 28 January 2021, Thursday, from 4:00-6:00 PM Manil. Please register in the link below to join the webinar: http://bit.ly/2LPmW6Q To check the time in your city please see: http://bit.ly/38IgqrC The influence of technology on the day-to-day affairs in the world is fast expanding. Innovative digital platforms have the potential to bring together the world in numerous ways. The increasing adoption of digital platforms not only strengthens operational efficiencies for business, but it can also support diverse state and non-state actors to strengthen migration governance. Various stakeholders, such as workers, labour officials, recruitment agencies and private sector employers are increasingly experimenting with technology for its incredible potential. These platforms can particularly strengthen access to information, which helps migrants make important choices at various stages of their migration journey. The webinar will aim to explore the role of technology in promoting fair and ethical recruitment practice. Existing practices led by governments, CSOs and private sector will be explored during the webinar to analyse best practices, needs and challenges with access to technology. The outcome of the webinar will contribute to a policy brief on Access to Technology and Fair Recruitmetn and will serve as background document for a regional stakeholders’ consultation on recruitment reform that is will be held in 2021. Co Moderators: Tara Dermot, International Organization for Migration Marie Apostol, Verite South East Asia Resource Persons Mr. Bheem Reddy Manda, Director Emigrants’ Welfare Forum India Ms. Shiela Grace Estrada, Progressive Labour Union of Domestic Workers / FADWU / ITUC Ms. Ohnmar Ei Ei Chaw, Issara Institute Ms.Leanne Melnyk, Head of Global Supply Chains, Diginex Ms. Elain Sim, PinkCollar Malaysia     [...] Read more...
December 8, 2020Migrant Forum in Asia in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is organizing a webinar on: Access to Remedy for Migrant Workers. The webinar will be held on  Wednesday, 16 December 2020 at 4PM Manila time. Register to join the webinar: https://bit.ly/2VyWsb5 Many migrant workers are unable to access remedy or report abuses in the recruitment process, particularly those  related to recruitment fees and costs. According to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP), businesses have a responsibility to respect, prevent and remedy human rights abuses in their operations. This means they are also responsible for providing remedies to victims where harm has occurred. The UNGP explains that remedy may include apologies, restitution, rehabilitation, financial or non-financial compensation and punitive sanctions (whether criminal or administrative, such as fines), as well as the prevention of harm through, for example, injunctions or guarantees of non-repetition. The 2020 global comparative study by the International Labour Organization (ILO on defining recruitment fees and related costs states that payment of recruitment fees and  related costs significantly increases workers vulnerabilities to forced labour, debt bondage and human trafficking. The ILO  finds that the “costs of coercion were approximately US$21 billion, with the total amount of underpaid wages estimated to be US$19.6 billion, with the remaining US$1.4 billion attributed to illegal recruitment fees” (ILO  2014b,  10). Recruitment fees and cost can amount several months of a worker’s salary. This webinar will look at existing good practices on access to remedy for migrant workers who experience abuse in the recruitment process. Speakers of the webinar will include representatives from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and organization that work with the business sector in developing effective remediation process for workers. The webinar will have the following objectives: Share and learn about good practices on access to remedy for migrants who experience abuse in the recruitment process Understand barriers for migrant workers to access effective remedy The outcome of the webinar will contribute to a policy brief on migrant workers access to remedy and will serve as background document for a regional stakeholders’ consultation on recruitment reform that is will be held in 2021 Moderator Dr. Chowdhurry Abrar, Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) Resource Persons Rosey Hurst, Impact Limited Sumitha Shanthini Kishan, Our Journey Malaysia Archana Kotecha, Remedy Project Henry Rojas, Lawyers Beyond Borders Philippines Participants: The proposed participants of the webinar will include migrant civil society organizations, trade unions, private sector, international institutions including among others representatives from IOM and ILO. Date and Time of Webinar: The webinar will be held on Wednesday, 16 December 2020 at 4PM Manila time. To check the time in your country please click the link:  https://bit.ly/3mJNQuj Background Materials Please find below some background materials for the webinar Migrant Forum in Asia Policy Brief on Joint and Solidary Liability Impactt Repayment Standards Public November 2020 Maximising the impact of the Repayment Standards November 2020   Global Study on Recruitment Fees and Related Costs (International Labour Organization, 2020), xi, https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/labour-migration/publications/WCMS_761729/lang–en/index.htm     [...] Read more...
September 16, 2020  The International Labour Organization (ILO) is launching its sixth annual Global Media Competition to recognize exemplary media coverage on labour migration and fair recruitment. The competition aims to promote quality reporting on labour migration issues. It will give awards to two published media pieces. For the first time it will also give prizes for two ‘synopses’ of stories to be developed on labour migration or fair recruitment. This year, specific coverage of the issues related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant workers and their families, including with respect to the non-payment of wages, will be encouraged and viewed favorably. “Today, information shapes opinions and actions in all corners of the world but it can also easily distort realities and further harm people. The COVID-19 pandemic has further brought to light this need for accurate, balanced and ethical media reporting,” says Michelle Leighton, Chief of the ILO Labour Migration Branch and one of the competition judges. The “synopsis” category will be open to both professional and student journalists, and provides an opportunity to secure resources to develop an important migration story that journalists believe should be published. The winners will be selected by a panel of experts in international migration and journalism, judged on the following criteria: demonstrating creativity and accuracy; using adequate terminology that protects migrants; promoting non-discrimination and highlighting the benefits of well-governed, safe labour migration, and fair recruitment. The competition is supported by the International Trade Union Confederation, the International Organisation of Employers, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Federation of Journalists, Equal Times, Solidarity Centre, and Migrant Forum in Asia. The competition is also organized with the support of the EU funded ‘Global Action to Improve the Recruitment Framework of Labour Migration ’ (REFRAME) project, and the SDC funded ‘Integrated Programme on Fair Recruitment – Phase II  ’ (FAIR II). How to enter Complete the online entry form  in the category of either “professionals” or “students” category. You can submit your piece in the following categories: written press, photo essay, multimedia, video and/or radio. See the full Terms and Conditions  for details. To qualify, entries must have been published between 1 November 2019 and 31 October 2020 (see Terms and Conditions  for details). A submission in any language is welcome, however an English, French or Spanish translation must be included if the submitted material, or parts of it are in another language. Key dates 31 October 2020 (23:59, Central European Time): Deadline for submissions, via the online entry form. 18 December 2020 (International Migrants Day): Competition winners will be announced (winners will be contacted in advance). Awards The competition will award three prizes for professional journalists or media experts on the topic of labour migration and/or fair recruitment of migrant workers: two prizes will be awarded for a published media piece and one prize will be awarded for a synopsis. The competition will also award one prize to a student journalist for a synopsis on the topic of labour migration and/or fair recruitment of migrant workers. The winners will be able to choose between cash (US$1,200 in the published media piece and US$500 for the synopsis category) or a paid fellowship to participate in course in 2021 on a fair recruitment or labour migration at the ILO’s International Training Centre  (see full Terms and Conditions  for details). Contact: labour-migration-media-competition@ilo.org  [...] Read more...

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MFA is a regional network of non-government organizations (NGOs), associations and trade unions of migrant workers, and individual advocates in Asia who are committed to protect and promote the rights and welfare of migrant workers.

It is guided by a vision of an alternative world system based on respect for human rights and dignity, social justice, and gender equity, particularly for migrant workers.

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