Bangkok, Thailand, 15 August 2023 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) today hosted a regional civil society consultation workshop entitled "The Future of Migration, Business and Human Rights in Asia: Priority Areas of Engagement". 

The two-day event, held in Bangkok, aimed to garner crucial input from civil society to shape IOM's Migration, Business, and Human Rights future programming, with a strong focus on integrating migrant workers’ voices into the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) framework. 

As Asia continues to witness significant and dynamic migration trends, the workshop played a pivotal role in fostering a collaborative approach towards ensuring the protection of migrant workers’ rights. The involvement of civil society stakeholders added diverse voices and perspectives of migrant workers to the discourse, contributing to a holistic understanding of the challenges and opportunities arising from migration in the region.

"Civil society plays an important role in shaping our collective approach to migration, business, and human rights in Asia,” said Sarah Arriola, IOM Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. “Their diverse experiences, working directly with migrant workers on the ground, and invaluable input are vital in shaping effective programs that truly address workers’ needs and concerns. We are committed to ensuring that their voices are at the forefront of our programming at IOM, as we strive for an inclusive, rights-based approach that leaves no one behind." 

The workshop’s agenda focused on identifying key trends and challenges faced by migrant workers in Asia and priority areas of engagement with civil society within the space of migration, business, and human rights. Key topics discussed during the event also included access to rights-based information, social support and services, effective remedy, gender inclusion and finding solutions to some of those challenges faced by migrant workers. 

For example, William Gois, Regional Coordinator of Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA), raised the pertinent issue of denial of wages, saying this should never be accepted as an inevitable consequence of cross-border migration. “Instead, they should be built on accessible and expedited access to justice mechanisms.”

The workshop saw participation of 25 representatives from the MFA Secretariat and MFA members and partners, particularly women-led organizations from Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, among others.

The workshop marked the next step following the regional multistakeholder consultation and workshop on the same topic that IOM conducted in June 2023 to inform a future Migration, Business, and Human Rights programme for Asia. 

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For more information about IOM's Migration, Business, and Human Rights initiative, please contact Anastasia Vynnychenko (avynnychenko@iom.int) 

For media inquiries, please contact Nguyen Thi Hong Yen (thihnguyen@iom.int)