The Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC) and the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), have moved to fashion-out implementable modalities to ensure the protection of migrant workers’ rights for the overall interest of contributing to sustainable development goals.
According to a communique issued at the end of the two-day brainstorming session of stakeholders drawn from unionists from Africa and the Arab regions, the meeting discussed ways in which unions can contribute to the achievement of rights-based migration governance that protects and fulfills migrant workers rights and contributes to sustainable development goals in both origin and destination countries, dominated the discussions.
The communique noted that the meeting achieved success as stakeholders unanimously identified and agreed to advance efforts on the following areas: “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.”
The communique further revealed that the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Just Transition Centre supported the meeting hosted by the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA).
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 reiterated the importance of union solidarity and collaboration to uphold workers’ rights.
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”.
