A tripartite preparatory meeting  for 11th Asean Forum on Migrant Labour was held at the Thigaha Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw on October 3.

The 11th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour (AFML) will be held on 29-30 October 2018 in Singapore. It will be hosted by the Government of Singapore as the current chair of the ASEAN and the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (ACMW).

The 11th AFML will focus on “Digitalization to Promote Decent Work for Migrant Workers in ASEAN”. To ensure that discussions will be focused and targeted, the 11th AFML will be further scoped into two sub-themes: Digitalization of migrant labour management and Digital services for migrant workers.

Union Minister for Labour, Immigration and Population Thein Swe said, “The results gained from today’s meeting (a tripartite preparation for 11th Asean meeting on Migrant Labour for Digitalization, and promotion for migrant workers in Asean region) will be discussed at the 11th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour.  At the meeting, matters on most pressing issues faced by migrant workers in Asean region will be discussed frankly among government, business owners, workers and civic and social organizations.”

In Myanmar, a tripartite preparation for 11th Asean meeting on Migrant Labour was held since 5th Preliminary coordination meeting. For achieving better living standard and prestige, migrant workers abandon their native places.  The main target of the migrant workers and their families is find employment and jobs that can guarantee better living for them and their families according to the Union Minister.

Due to the changes in world’s economy, development of the economy of each nation, finding better job opportunities, differences in living standard are the main causes in increasing number of migrant workers. There are legal migrant workers as well as illegal migrant workers, he continued.

The Union Minister added that , “It is very important to get correct and precise information and news sources for the migrant workers. Digital technology plays an important role in getting correct and precise news and information as well as exchange of information. In the digitalization of migrant labour management, it is important to thoroughly understand what digitalization entails. Besides, one needs to understand working environment that are rapidly changing and possible future situations.

Leveraging digitalisation to protect the rights of migrant workers and promote decent work requires an improved understanding of digital technology as well as an improved understanding of the rapidly changing, dynamic world of work and its future.