Virtual launch of the Governance of Labour Migration in South and South-East Asia (GOALS) Programme

OVERVIEW

“Governance of Labour Migration in South and South-East Asia (GOALS)” is a Joint UN Regional Programme implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), International Labour Organization (ILO), and The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).

Co-Convened by the ILO and IOM in collaboration with UN Women and supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the overall objective of the programme is that labour migration is safe, orderly and regular for all women and men from Colombo Process Member States through strengthened collaboration and effective migration governance.

The programme is conceived in response to various facets of labour migration in the corridors between South Asia and the Middle East and builds on the first phase of the SDC supported regional project, “Strengthening Labour Migration Governance through Regional Cooperation in Colombo Process Countries”.

GOALS PROGRAMME

The GOALS programme responds to the current context, achievements, gaps and challenges relating to safe, orderly and regular labour migration from the South and South-East Asia countries of the Regional Consultative Process on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin in Asia (Colombo Process). It envisions a three-year strategic and gender responsive focus for positive change, increased social and economic benefits for women and men migrant workers, their families and the countries of origin.

Working with the Colombo Process Member States, guided by the Colombo Process Thematic Area Working Groups (TAWGs), the programme conceptualizes the links between countries of origin and destination and strives to strengthen governance from policy to practice, regional to national, and vice versa. It will have a focused approach on the improvement of overall governance of labour migration, keeping in mind the gendered impacts of COVID-19 on labour migration and the lives of migrant workers, at the sub-regional level in South Asia. The programme will be operationalized in a gender responsive manner at the national levels with regard to skills development, fair recruitment, and sustainable reintegration.

The programme is built on three inter-linked and inter-related outcomes; 

• Colombo Process Member States develop and progress actionable commitments for strengthened labour migration governance and policy coherence through multilateral dialogue;
• Selected members states in South Asia have improved labour migration policies and practices, in particular on skills development and qualifications recognition, fostering fair and ethical recruitment, and sustainable reintegration; and
• The evidence base on labour migration is strengthened to generate gender disaggregated data and analysis, knowledge, dialogue, policy making and action.

OBJECTIVES OF THE LAUNCH  

• Create awareness about the GOALS Programme amongst stakeholders, including Colombo Process Member States, civil society groups, trade unions, employers organisations and private sector, and academia.
• To outline the support provided by the GOALS Programme for dialogue and collaboration at regional level for the Colombo Process and the TAWGs and for implementation at national level.

TARGET AUDIENCE  

This event intends to bring together the government focal points/interlocuters of the Colombo Process Member States, civil society groups, trade unions, employers organisations and private sector, and academia and relevant officials from IOM, ILO and UNWOMEN

AGENDA

11:00 – 11:20

Introduction and Opening Remarks moderated by
Mr. Andrew Gray, Senior Programme Manager (GOALS), IOM

Co-Conveners: 

• Sarat Dash, Chief of Mission for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, IOM
• Dagmar Walter, Director, Decent Work Technical Support Team for South Asia, ILO

Participating UN Organisation:

• Sarah Knibbs, Deputy Regional Director, a.i., Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, UN Women

Development Partner:

• Benil Thavarasa, Regional Programme Manager, SDC

11:20 – 12:25  

Plenary Session moderated by
Mr. Shabarinath Nair, Regional Migration Specialist,
Decent Work Team for South Asia, ILO 

Presentation: Lessons Learned from the regional project, 
“Strengthening Migration Governance through Regional Cooperation in Colombo Process Countries”

Presentation: Main outcomes of GOALS programme
Ms Katja Freiwald, Regional Programme Manager,
Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, UN Women

Open Discussion

12:25 – 12:30

Closing