Declaration on Migrants' RightsAspe

Declaration on Migrants' Rights
Aspects related to migrant workers’ rights are covered in a regional Declaration signed by
ASEAN leaders in 2007, which however has not yet been ratified domestically by the
member states (Interviews 5, 6; see also LO/ADB 2014). The alleged “ASEAN Declaration
on Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers” aims to safeguard the rights
of migrants in accordance with national laws and regulations. It incites members to enhance
cooperation on matters related to promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers,
including of family members already residing with them; to offer appropriate employment
protection, payment of wages, and adequate access to decent working and living conditions
for migrant workers; as well as to coordinate on anti-trafficking cross border policies and
intensify capacity building by sharing information, best practices, opportunities and
challenges encountered by ASEAN Member Countries in relation to protection and
promotion of migrant workers' rights. Exchanges of good practices and policy ideas between
governments, workers’ and employers’ associations within the framework of the Declaration
are closely coordinated by the ILO Regional Office for Asia and Pacific under the alleged
“ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour”. There are also a few intra-ASEAN bilateral
agreements5
, in the form of memorandum of understanding (MoU), that mainly specify the
conditions for domestic migrant workers related to duration of stay, language requirements,
immigration procedures, etc.