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Models of Transnational Organizing: MFA’s Experience in Asia

Models of Transnational Organizing: MFA’s Experience in Asia. Peter O’Neill, Adviser Migrant Forum in Asia.

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Models of Transnational Organizing: MFA’s Experience in Asia

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  1. Models of Transnational Organizing: MFA’s Experience in Asia Peter O’Neill, Adviser Migrant Forum in Asia

  2. MFA is a regional network of non-government organizations, associations and trade unions of migrant workers and advocates that are committed to protect and promote the rights and well-being of all migrant workers and their families in Asia. MFA acts as facilitator, a regional communication and coordination point between member-organizations and advocates, forging concerted action to address discriminatory laws and policies, violence against women migrants, unjust living and working conditions, unemployment in the homeland, and other issues affecting migrant workers. Migrant Forum in Asia

  3. The network stands against the deplorable conditions and circumstances that characterize the present state of migration: Migration, has not been a choice as much as it has been a necessity for the survival of migrants and their families. Push factors: massive poverty, unemployment, cheap wages and labor export policy Pull factors: de-industrialization in receiving countries, industrial restructuring and the changing roles of women. MFA’s founding principles

  4. Globalization with its adoption of labor export policies with its emphasis on capital generation and consumerism, leads to marginalization of economic and socio-cultural systems of less developed countries Globalization and the unsustainable development measures promoted by governments have also resulted in the significant rise of repression and violation of migrants’ labor and human rights. Increasing feminization of migrant labor, as present economic, political and socio-cultural conditions render women migrants particularly vulnerable to exploitation, specifically trafficking, prostitution and sexual abuse MFA’s founding principles

  5. MFA 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. MFA holds a strong position against the promotion of mass labor exports. MFA challenges governments of sending countries to provide alternative economic opportunities for their citizens. MFA is committed to a process of social, political, cultural, economic development that responds to the needs and issues of migrants and ensures their rights. MFA’s vision and advocacy

  6. MFA stands as a concrete form of commitment to protect and promote the rights and welfare of migrants and work towards social justice, gender fairness, sustainable socio-economic development. MFA acknowledges the issues surrounding migration as regional and international concerns that must be addressed, and affirms a country specific effort in addressing the issues through different groups and organizations. MFA’s founding principles

  7. Migrant Forum in Asia: network of migrants, advocates 290+ member-organizations and contact groups MONGOLIA Legend:Members  Some key contacts  National Networks JAPAN SOUTH KOREA CHINA MID-EAST TAIWAN HONG KONG NEPAL INDIA PHILIPPINES MFA Secretariat BANGLADESH VIETNAM SRI LANKA MYANMAR CAMBODIA THAILAND SINGAPORE INDONESIA MALAYSIA

  8. Society Sector Organisation Person MFA’s Multi-Strategy Response Framework Target group Key objectives/strategies Results/impacts Social justice; migrants/families as development partners; just alternatives Type 4: Addressing Root Causes & Building Alternatives Rights-oriented policies & practices; just treatment & conditions; removing vulnerabilities Type 3: Advocating Just Policies & Conditions Type 2: Building Collective Capacity & Actions Organised capacity & strength of migrants & advocates; collective actions Type 1: Upholding Dignity, Redressing Violations Personal dignity, health & well-being; basic human rights; access to relief & redress

  9. Within MFA are different task forces composed of its members and partners whose work focuses on the following areas of concern: Advocacy and capacity-building Gender and feminization of migration Health Migrant Savings for Alternative Investment (MSAI) Networking in West Asia Migrant domestic workers MFA Task Forces

  10. Advocacy and Capacity Building Task Force Aims to build the capacity of migrant workers and their families on advocacy for migrants’ rights and advocacy at the national, regional and international level Gender and Feminization Task Force Aims to identify the different issues brought about by the feminization of migration and highlight the responses and best practices adopted by those working on migration Migrant Savings for Alternative Investment (MSAI) to promote MSAI as a strategy for sustainable reintegration in the region and to facilitate organizing of migrant workers into savings groups in the host countries and establishing enterprises in the home countries MFA Task Forces

  11. Health Task Force was set up in 2006 as a follow up to the recommendations of the 8th RCM in 2002 in Bangladesh which carried the theme "Migration and Migrant Workers' Health and Well-Being: Trends, Issues, Needs and Strategic Responses". Five key areas on migration and health: general health and well being, reproductive health, psychosocial health, HIV/AIDS and mobility, and occupational health and safety Networking in West Asia Aims to extend the network to the West Asia region where majority of the Asian migrant workers are deployed and to develop agenda and activities in the region as well as identify and establish links with existing migrant groups (NGOs and support groups) MFA Task Forces

  12. Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) Task Force to campaign for the protection and promotion of rights of MDWs and action against abuses to campaign / advocate for the recognition of domestic work as work to empower, build capacity, network and work in partnership with the MDW grassroots groups and advocates, specifically ADWA (Asian Domestic Workers Alliance) MFA Task Forces

  13. Joint regional Plan of Action (POA) Asian Migrant Yearbook (AMY) – since 1998 Regional Conference on Migration (RCM) – since 1994, every alternate year [11th RCM to be held in October 2008 in Manila, Philippines] Campaign for ratification of human rights instruments by Asian countries with particular focus on the Migrant Workers Convention (MWC) Rights & Roots campaign – joint Asia-wide actions by MFA members and partners on Women’s Day (March 8), Labor Day (May 1), Migrants’ Month (Nov 26 anti-VAW day up to International Migrants’ Day (December 18) Migration list-serve and other e-groups Popularization, especially in Asia, of December 18 as “International Migrants’ Day” – pioneered the campaign in Asia Advocacy and Capacity Building (1/3)

  14. Action alerts / Press releases on migrants’ rights abuses Migrants’ Rights Violations Reporting System (MRVRS) - patterned after the UN HURIDOCS Engagement in UN and other regional / international processes Special Rapporteur for Migrants’ Rights Networking with groups working on trade and development, women, trafficking, trade unions and other civil society groups in Asia Representation to various platforms for advocacy (e.g., Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy, World Social Forum) Regional partner of Migrants Rights International in Asia Advocacy and Capacity Building (2/3)

  15. Organizing On-site: migrant workers [unions, savings groups, etc] Sending countries: families of migrant workers and returned migrant workers Accreditation of organizations in host and sending countries Hong Kong: Coalition of Migrants Rights (CMR), Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (IMWU), a trade union of migrant domestic workers Indonesia: Seri Buruh Migran Indonesia (SBMI), a trade union of returned migrant workers and families Continuous capacity building in terms of regular trainings, information education campaign: e.g. trainors training on interfacing migration, gender and reproductive health, entrepreneurship trainings, etc. Advocacy and Capacity Building (3/3)

  16. Was conceptualized by the members during the 7th RCM in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2001 to develop the capacity of MFA member organizations to effectively address the concerns of migrant workers and seek redress for the violations of their rights; A web-based, concrete mechanism to develop a common understanding across the region of what comprises migrant workers’ rights and enable systematic documentation of migrants’ rights violations (MRVs). non-members can also report cases of migrants’ rights violations by logging in to the MFA website,www.mfasia.org. Migrants Rights Violations Reporting System (MRVRS)

  17. Engagement in UN and other regional / international processes Highlights in advocacy • UN Human Rights Council • International Labor Conference • World Trade Organization • IMF/World Bank • Global Forum on Migration and Development • Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) • South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) • Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

  18. As an outcome of the UNHLD, a Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) was created to follow up the discussion on migration and development. The GFMD is an informal, voluntary, state-led and non-binding forum. It aims to look at the increasing volume and development value of remittances and other diaspora resources and to maximize opportunities / minimize risks in terms of human capital development and labor mobility. The first GFMD was hosted by the Belgian government on 10-11 July 2007. For the CSO day (9 July), the King Baudoin Foundation (KBF) was tasked to coordinate. More than 200 participants attended the CSO day. Global Forum on Migration and Development

  19. Asian Consultation Process June 2007 Asian Domestic Workers Assembly June 2007 MFA Part of the task force to prepare for the day of CSO of the GFMD MFA members part of the CSO day of the GFMD MRI and MFA part of the official CSO delegates for the GFMD MRI – Global community Forum on Migration and Development Global Domestic Workers Assembly

  20. When: 27-30 October 2008 27-28 CSO Day 29-30 Intergovernmental Meeting Note: Half day of the last CSO day (28 Oct) will be devoted to dialogue with governments Where: Manila, Philippines Organizers: CSO Day – Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) Gov’t. Mtg . - Dep’t of Foreign Affairs (DFA) 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development

  21. World Trade Organization (WTO) Highlights in advocacy MFA CALLS: • Stop the neoliberal agenda of WTO, IMF and WB • Derail the WTO • No deal in WTO: No deal is better than a bad deal • Stop the corporate and exploitative agenda of WTO • People before Profits • Services out of WTO, WTO out of services • GATS out of WTO • Migrants are not for sale • Stop the commodification of women and workers Building Migrant and People’s Solidarity in Challenging Neoliberal Development and WTO, July 2005 brought together key migration, trade and development movements to converge efforts on the WTO and the 6th Ministerial Conference in December 2005 in Hong Kong

  22. World Trade Organization (WTO) Highlights in advocacy • MFA joined the People’s Week of Action in December 2005 in Hong Kong, together with trade groups, women, peasants and other groups protesting against the 6th Ministerial Conference • The Doha Round of the WTO collapsed in July 2006.

  23. Equal Pay for Equal Work Highlights in advocacy • Campaign launched on International Migrants’ Day in 2005 in Hong Kong • Aims to promote equal, fair and humane treatment, just living and working conditions, access to opportunity for advancement and well-being, and equal pay for equal work among migrants and local workers. • call for the recognition of domestic work as work and its inclusion in the national, labour and social legislations.

  24. Asian Domestic Workers’ Alliance Highlights in advocacy • MFA, together with the Coalition for Migrants Rights (CMR), Asian Migrant Centre (AMC), Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) and Human Rights Watch (HRW), coorganized the Asian Domestic Workers Assembly (ADWA)in June 2007 in Manila, Philippines, which led to the creation of the Asian Domestic Workers’ Alliance. • The alliance is a joint Asian regional platform to promote the rights, welfare and empowerment of migrant domestic workers (MDWs). • During the 2nd ADWA held on 1-4 May 2008 in Jakarta, Indonesia, MFA together with the Asian Migrant Centre (AMC), Coalition for Migrants Rights (CMR) and the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) in cooperation with the Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia (SBMI)launched aregional campaign on the recognition of domestic work as work.

  25. Regional Campaign on the Recognition of Domestic Work as Work Highlights in advocacy 1 May 2008 Jakarta, Indonesia • Recognize domestic work as work • Respect and advancement of the rights, status and dignity of migrant domestic workers

  26. Regional Campaign on the Recognition of Domestic Work as Work Highlights in advocacy 1 May 2008; Jakarta, Indonesia The key areas of advocacy are: • Adoption of valid, fair and standard employment contract for MDWs (based ondecent workprinciples including wages, rest days, working hours, and living and working conditions); • Recognition and protection of MDWs undernational policies/laws, and the removal of policies that discriminate or marginalize MDWs; • Adoption of migration regimes that recognizeMDWs as legal workersand provide safe and transparent migration channels for them; and • Adoption of international instruments that universally recognize and defineminimum standards on the rights and status of MDWs.

  27. Engaging the ASEAN Through the Solidarity for Asian Peoples Advocacy (SAPA) SAPA, a loose network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations engaged in campaigns and advocacy on various issues of public interest at the national and regional levels. SAPA Working Group on ASEAN – enhances information and analysis exchange on issues related to ASEAN and its processes among members and provide Members a platform for coordinated activities targeted at ASEAN and its processes Highlights in advocacy

  28. SAPA Working Group on ASEANfocuses on ASEAN Charter Study EPG Blueprint on ASEAN Charter and produce SAPA WG on ASEAN analysis on it Engagement with the High Level Task Force (HLTF) on the ASEAN Charter Initiate a People’s Charter Campaign Vientiane Action Plan 2004-2010 (VAP) mid-term review WG’s study/assessment of the VAP in preparation for the mid-term review Highlights in advocacy

  29. Engaging the ASEAN January 2007 – ASEAN adopted the Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers July 2007 – Establishment of the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration onthe Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers Highlights in advocacy

  30. Engaging the ASEAN April 2008 – ASEAN Forum on Labor and Migration held in Manila, Philippines MFA together with Scalabrini Migration Center were the only civil society representatives allowed to participate in the forum. Priority issues and concerns relative to migrant protection - the point of view of migrant workers Highlights in advocacy

  31. Engaging the ASEAN Through the Task Force on ASEAN Migrant Workers comprises trade unions, human rights and migrant rights non-governmental organizations, and migrant worker associations, aimed at supporting the development of a rights-based framework for the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers, in line with ASEAN's Vientiane Action Plan. Framework will focus on implementing Core Labor Rights, Terms of Employment, and specific rights related to migrant workers and their families http://www.workersconnection.org Highlights in advocacy

  32. Migrants’ Month Campaign Highlights in advocacy • 25 November to 18 December • 25 Nov-10 Dec: 16 Days of Activism to Combat Violence against Women • 01 Dec: World AIDS Day • 10 Dec: International Human Rights Day • 18 Dec: International Migrants’ Day • Asia-wide campaign where MFA members conduct various activities tocelebrate the gains and continue the struggleof migrant workers and advocates in protecting and promoting the rights of migrant workers and their families

  33. West Asia region hosts the largest numbers of Asian workers, but responses to protect and promote migrants’ human and labor rights are scant compared to the other global regions. MFA together with American Center for International Labor Solidarity (ACILS), the Action Network for Migrants (ACTFORM) and Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) brought together their respective networks to a regional consultation to discuss responses to migrants’ issues in the West Asia region. (November 2006, Negombo, Sri Lanka) Networking in West Asia

  34. MFA organized a two-day workshop on migration, detention and deportation in December 2007 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The workshop provided an opportunity to discuss practices of detention and deportation, existing policies in addressing the issues of detention and deportation as well as identify recommendations on how to address the issue that will at the same time safeguard the rights and dignity of migrant workers. Partners from Bahrain, Israel and Saudi Arabia sent their representatives to the workshop. Networking in West Asia

  35. In January 2008, the Ministerial Consultation on Overseas Employment And Contractual Labor for Countries of Origin and Destination in Asia was held in Abu Dhabi.  The Ministerial meeting, the first meeting to be hosted by a receiving country, aimed to highlight the potential of contractual labor to benefit overseas workers as well as the development of countries of origin and destination in Asia. Held back to back with the Ministerial meeting was the Forum on Contractual Labor in GCC Countries: Opportunities and Challenges which was organized by the UAE Ministry of Labor and the Council of Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs in GCC States, in collaboration with the IOM, ILO Sub-Regional Office for Arab States and the Arab Labor Organization. Networking in West Asia

  36. MFA was invited to be among the panelists in the forum and speak about "The Temporary Contractual Character of Expatriate Labor in GCC Countries". The willingness of the GCC states to engage with their own civil society institutions and also with the governments and civil society of the sending states, and the presence of many of Gulf Ministers throughout the duration of the Forum and their active participation in the deliberations may be viewed as reflections of a serious commitment to engage on the issue of temporary contractual labour. Networking in West Asia

  37. Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) is a fellowship of churches relating itself to the main stream of the modern ecumenical movement, the same which gave birth to the World Council and other regional ecumenical councils throughout the world. MECC recognizes MFA as its partner in the promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers in the region. MFA provides support and shares its expertise with MECC in the development of migrant-oriented programs by MECC: e.g., MECC advocacy workshop on migrant workers’ rights (February 2008, Beirut, Lebanon), Public hearing on migrant workers (April 2008, Beirut, Lebanon), Pastoral Visit of the World Council of Churches (April 2008, Beirut, Lebanon). Networking in West Asia

  38. Other networks and platforms MFA engages in pushing forward its agenda to promote and protect the rights of migrant workers: Berne Initiative December 18 Global.Net Diffusion / Discussion Global Migration Group Migration Caucus Migrants Rights International National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC) Steering Committee for Global Ratification of the Migrant Workers Convention The Hague Process World Social Forum on Migration Networking outside Asia

  39. Thank you very much!!! MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA (MFA) 59-B Malumanay St. Teachers Village, Quezon City, Philippines Tel: (632) 433-3508; Fax: (632) 433-1292 Contact: Mr. William Gois Email: mfa@pacific.net.hk Website: www.mfasia.org

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