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Migrant labor between emerging economies |
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Migrant workers constitute around 3% of the world population and face a number of vulnerabilities yet, as a new report from Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) argues, there has been little attention paid to their specific working conditions and rights. Focusing on migration between emerging economies rather than to developed countries, the report sets out a range of interventions for both actors within supply chains and for orginating and destination countries.
Key risks faced by migrant workers include: - lack of protection under national law
- lack of access to their rights, representation and grievance processes
- retention of documents by employers
- withholding of wages or illegal deductions
- discrimination
- enforced payment of fees
For brands, the first step is to develop awareness of where migrant workers are located within value chains and how they are employed, prior to engaging with suppliers and governments. A key problem identified in the report is the expansion of indirect recruitment using agents or middle-men which increases the risk of exploitation. The report shows how governments can do more to protect both the workers they 'send' and incoming migrants including developing bilateral agreements and ratifying relevant international conventions. Best practice examples and case studies are provided, including a detailed study of the Philippines, as an example of astrong origin country policy. |
