Strategic Partnerships for Realizing Decent Work in Asia: ILO-ASEAN Cooperation

1. Strategic Partnerships for Realizing Decent Work in Asia: ILO-ASEAN Cooperation August 23, 2007Kee Beom KimILO Jakarta

2. ASEAN • “One Caring and Sharing Community” • 40th anniversary in 2007 • ASEAN region population of 560 million, labour force of 330 million, combined GDP of US$737 billion and total trade of $720 billion • Increasing outward focus (including the ASEAN+3 process and partnerships with non-regional countries and international organizations) • ASEAN Charter expected in November 2007, aimed at transforming ASEAN into a more rules-based organization with legal personality

3. ILO-ASEAN Cooperation: Past • Strengthen ILO-ASEAN cooperation to promote decent work in Asia • Difficulties in the past due to forced labour issue in Myanmar and not all ASEAN members being ILO (Brunei) • In January 2003, ILO and ASEAN conducted a joint mission review to examine ways of improving cooperation on labour and employment issues • In May 2003, ILO invited for first time to ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting (ALMM) and Senior Labour Officials Meeting (SLOM)

4. ILO-ASEAN Cooperation: Progress • ILO participation in ALMM (biennial) and SLOM (annual) expected and valued – providing opportunity to highlight ILO issues • All members of ASEAN now ILO members • ILO-ASEAN Cooperation Agreement signed in March 2007, welcomed by 40th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in July 2007: “we expressed confidence that with the signing of the Cooperation Agreement…ASEAN and the ILO would collaborate more to address labour issues where they have common interests”

5. ALMM (2006) • Occupational safety and health: included “Strengthening OSH capacities and standards in ASEAN” as a priority area • Future of labour within ASEAN Community: continue efforts on human resource planning and labour market monitoring, skills development and training • Establishment of a “Ad-hoc Working Group on Progressive Labour Practices” • HR Summit; impact of ASEAN integration on labour markets; industrial relations good practices; social security/protection systms; regional skills recognition and networking

6. SLOM (May 2007) • ILO’s Labour and Social Trends in ASEAN 2007 presented and discussed • Endorsement of a joint ILO/ASEAN workshop on labour statistics (October 2007) , youth entrepreneurship (November 2007) and HIV/AIDS in the workplace • Continued ILO support to the Ad-hoc Working Group • Convening of an ASEAN Forum on Migrant Workers (Philippines as lead coordinator and ILO to provide technical support)

7. ASEAN Summit (January 2007) • Acceleration of the ASEAN Community from 2020 to 2015 • Adoption of the ASEAN Commitments on HIV and AIDS and ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers • Tasks relevant ASEAN bodies to follow-up on the Declaration and develop an ASEAN instrument on protection and promotion of rights of migrant workers • Submit annually a report on progress of implementation of Declaration • ILO’s Labour and Social Trends in ASEAN 2007 presented and discussed • Endorsement of a joint ILO/ASEAN workshop on labour statistics (October 2007) , youth entrepreneurship (November 2007) and HIV/AIDS in the workplace • Continued ILO support to the Ad-hoc Working Group • Convening of an ASEAN Forum on Migrant Workers (Philippines as lead coordinator and ILO to provide technical support)

8. ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (July 2007) • Committed to timely implementation of Migrant Workers Declaration • Establishment of an ASEAN Committee on the implementation of Declaration: • Composed of one senior representative from each Member country and representative of ASEAN Secretariat; • Be assisted by representatives from concerned government agencies of each Member country; • Report to the Senior Labour Officials Meeting (SLOM); • Be chaired by the representative of the country that holds the Chairmanship of the ASEAN Standing Committee; • Be provided secretarial support by the ASEAN Secretariat.

9. ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers • Ensure effective implementation of commitments made under Declaration; and • Facilitate development of an ASEAN instrument on protection and promotion of rights of migrant workers.

10. ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers • Explore all avenues to achieve the objectives of the Declaration; • Facilitate sharing of best practices in the ASEAN region on matters concerning the promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers; • Promote bilateral and regional cooperation and assistance on matters involving the rights of migrant workers; • Facilitate data sharing on matters related to migrant workers, for the purpose of enhancing policies and programmes to protect and promote the rights of migrant workers in both sending and receiving countries;

11. ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers (II) • Encourage international organisations, ASEAN Dialogue Partners and other countries to respect the principles and extend support and assistance to the implementation of the measures contained in the Declaration; • Promote harmonisation of mechanisms between both sending and receiving countries that promote and protect the rights of migrant workers to implement the ASEAN commitment reflected in paragraph 17 of the Declaration; • Work closely with the ASEAN Secretariat in the preparation of the report of the Secretary-General of ASEAN to the ASEAN Summit; and • Work towards the development of an ASEAN instrument on the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers.