In the latest issue of The Global Labour Rights Reporter, Neha Misra of the Solidarity Center — a member of Women in Migration Network — provides a succinct overview of the significant challenges for the rights and conditions of today’s migrant workers around the world in her Guest Editor’s Note: A WORKER IS A WORKER: PROTECTING THE LABOUR RIGHTS OF WORKERS ON THE MOVE.
Neha, who is Solidarity Center’s Global Lead for Migration & Human Trafficking, describes the dilemma for today’s migrant workers, who number about 169 million:
“…migration policy is often crafted in the realm of security and sovereignty, outside of the legal frameworks for industrial relations and labour law protections. Migrant workers are seen more as foreigners subject to immigration control, than workers deserving of full workers’ rights protections under international labour standards – resulting in millions of migrants being denied fair and easy access to justice and remedy.”
In her overview, Neha also notes the situation for the increasing number of people who are forcibly displaced, including refugees — about 100 million people: “…despite the fact that many refugees and forcibly displaced persons bring skills and talents to host countries and, in some circumstances, help meet labour shortages, they too are vulnerable to exploitation given that they are often poorly integrated into host country labour markets.”
Read Neha’s editorial note here
Go here to see the entire issue of Global Labour Rights Review, focused on Protecting the Labour Rights of Migrant Workers and Refugees. It is now available in English, Spanish and French.
“The articles in this issue of the GLRR focus on creative strategies and wins for migrant workers with eight articles from ILAW members in the US, Italy, Australia, Dominican Republic, Kenya & the UAE, Ukraine, Canada, and the Gulf. These articles discuss regulatory and legislative changes, organizing efforts, and identify on-going challenges for migrant and refugee workers throughout the world.”