Migration and disability Rights Organizations Unite to Address Labour Migration Barriers

International Labour Organisation’s Triangle In ASEAN has organised a training program for gender equality and disability people in five Asian countries  to address the difficulties faced  by disabled people in labour migration. This is the first time that migration and disability rights in the five Asian countries have come together to address the difficulties of disabled people in labour migration.

International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) TRIANGLE in ASEAN programme, supported by the governments of Australia and Canada organised a series of successful gender equality and disability inclusion training which took place from March to September 2024 in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. 

Currently, women migrants, migrants with various sexual orientations and gender identities, and migrants with disabilities face major problems that restrict their access to regular migration options. This kind of situation often forces them to enter the informal sectors that offer minimal to no labour protections. Moreover, this group of people tend to have less involvement in decision-making processes related to the governance of labour migration.

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Rebecca Napier-Moore who works as a Technical Officer for the ILO’s TRIANGLE in ASEAN programme stated, “The sessions brought together migration and disability rights groups for the first time. They learned about each other’s issues and importantly about terminology and ways they can help each other. Persons with disabilities face discrimination by migrant recruitment agencies, employers in destination countries, and sometimes by migration policies in the region. Building coalitions of solidarity will help break down this discrimination.”

Nguyen Xuan Thai who is a  Head of the Employment Unit at Ha Tinh Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs highlighted the practical nature of these sessions along with other participants, “The training is so useful, practical, and relevant to our work. It helps us realise the challenges faced by people with disabilities in searching for jobs abroad. After training, we know better how to provide counselling for people with disabilities on labour migration and support them.”

Thet Thet Aung from the Bago Migrant Worker Resource Centre in Myanmar said, “The training opened our eyes to the diverse experiences of individuals with different gender identities and disabilities within our society. It enhanced our capacity to include these individuals in our daily work, aligning with the UN’s principle of ‘leaving no one behind. I have now connected with other training participants, facilitators, and staff from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, the International Labour Organization and other institutions in which I can seek support and advice after the training.”

Participants gained an understanding of the vast diversity within the migrant worker community and their various needs. The workshops also acted as a platform for migration and disability rights organisations to exchange knowledge and build connections, as stated by Khun Vanet from the Children and Women Forum for Persons with Disabilities in Cambodia.

Participants shared their enthusiasm in applying the knowledge they gained in these practices. The TRIANGLE program in ASEAN operates at both the regional and the national level to enhance its benefits of labour migration for fair and inclusive development throughout the area. This training series is in line with TRIANGLE’s overall goal of addressing gender equality and ensuring that individuals with various sexual orientations, gender identities and disabilities can completely take advantage of the migration opportunities.