The Trade unions in Africa and the Arabs is collaborating to continue to work for fair recruitment practices in the respective regions so as to ensure migrant workers are not manipulated .
This was part of the resolutions reached at the end of a two days meeting between trade unions from the two regions held in Algiers, Algeria to strategize for rights-based migration governance in their regions.
The meeting which was co-organised by the Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC) and the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) was held between 3-4 July , 2023.
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Just Transition Centre supported the meeting hosted by the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA).
The group during the meeting also stressed the need for union solidarity and collaboration to uphold workers’ rights, to fight against xenophobia, hate crimes, racism and other attacks against migrants and to ensure fair recruitment practices for migrant workers, highlighting the particularly dire situation faced by women migrant workers, in particular domestic workers, and migrants in an irregular situation.
They affirmed the urgency to contribute to reversing conditions that push people to migrate out of necessity rather than choice and expose them to human and labour rights violations.
Alongside decent work gaps in origin countries, inequalities, and poverty, they highlighted the role of climate change and conflict as push factors.
The report which was signed by the Deputy General Secretary of ITUC-AFRICA Comrade Joel Akhator Odigie reads “Advocating to overcome adverse drivers of migration, including advocacy for deepening and expanding democratic spaces and for universal social protection as well as advocacy to end conflicts
“Organising migrant workers into unions both in countries of origin and destination. Provision of services to migrant workers, such as through Migrant Resource Centers
“Actively participating in migration governance processes concerning their regions to ensure social dialogue in all policy discussions and decisions, such as the Arab States – Africa Labour Migration Conference expected to be held later in 2023 and the Abu Dhabi Dialogue.
“Continuing to work on fair recruitment practices through closer collaboration between unions in origin and destination countries, through expanding and utilizing the Migrant Recruitment Advisor platform, monitoring the implementation of Bilateral Labour Migration Agreements and production of advocacy and awareness raising materials.
“Continue advocating for Just Transition to address the effects of climate change on workers and communities, including through a study on the effects of climate change on jobs and migration patterns in Africa and the Middle East”.
Unionists from Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan from the Middle East, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco from North Africa and from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana attended the meeting .
END.