ITC-ILO Online Course: Trade Union Manual to Promote Migrant Workers’ Rights and Foster Fair Labour Migration Governance

Introduction to the course

International migration has been on the rise within Africa. In 2019, there were 26.3 million international migrants in Africa - an increase of 17.2 million since 2010. Movement across national borders in search of decent work is one of the key drivers of international migration. Throughout the migration and recruitment process, migrant workers are exposed to undue hardships and abuses in the form of low wages, poor working and living conditions, limited access to social protection, denial of freedom of association and workers’ rights, discrimination as well as social exclusion. Migrant workers’ contributions to the economies of their host and origin countries many times remains unaccounted for – yet migrant workers generate tremendous benefits to both.

In this context, there is a need therefore for a comprehensive and balanced approach to labour migration governance. Well-governed labour migration can contribute to sustainable development for countries of origin, transit and destination, and can provide benefits and opportunities for migrant workers and their families. In this regard, the ILO in collaboration with the Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP) and the African Union (AU), developed the Trade Union Manual to promote migrant workers’ rights and foster fair labour migration governance in Africa intended to achieve this objective. The self-guided toolkit complements the ILO training programmes and capacity building activities for Trade Unions aiming at strengthening their role in promoting a rights-based approach to labour migration.

Who attends this course?

The course is designed for officials, policy-makers and practitioners of public institutions and ministries dealing with migration, trafficking and/or forced labour; representatives of employers' and workers’ organizations; representatives of public and private employment agencies; staff of NGOs and civil society organizations; experts from international agencies and other key actors concerned with these issues.

Objectives of the toolkit

Participants will learn about:

• Regional policy, legal frameworks and programmes on labour migration
  governance in Africa
• International instruments and international labour standards relevant to migrant workers
• The importance of social dialogue in labour migration governance
• Trade union initiatives to promote fair recruitment, and gender-responsive policy implementation
• The role of trade unions in Africa and abroad and recommendations in terms of providing support to migrant workers
• Trade union international good practices

Methodology and certification

The course consists of a number of online modules offered via the ITCILO e-Campus online platform-

This course provides a flexible learning journey as it is completely asynchronous, composed of several self-guided modules.

At the end of course and after successfully completing the final quiz, participants will be granted a certificate of participation.

Structure

The toolkit is composed of 14 training modules, each module has examples of international good practices and highlights the role that workers’ organizations play in each thematic area.

 

Download the PDF version of Trade Union Manual to Promote Migrant Workers' Rights and Foster Fair Labour Migration Governance

 

Module 1.

ILO’s Mandate, AU on Labour Migration, Tripartism and Social Dialogue, Data and Trade Union Networks in Africa on Labour Migration

Module 2. 

Global Policy Frameworks guiding labour migration governance in Africa

Module 3.

Global Instruments on the protection of migrant workers (UN and ILO Instruments)

Module 4.

Regional policy, legal frameworks and programmes on labour migration governance in Africa                                     

Module 5

Gender equality and women’s empowerment in labour migration governance

Module 6.

Women migrant domestic workers’ particular challenges in working in private households. The need for targeted TU actions

Module 7.

Enhancing fair recruitment practices and regulations

Module 8

Labour exploitation and abuse of migrant workers

Module 9

Skills partnerships, migrant workers’ skills development, portability and recognition, certifications of skills and qualifications

Module 10.

Organizing migrant workers: Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining, key obstacles and good practices

Module 11.

Promoting social protection of migrant workers

Module 12.

Working and living conditions of migrant workers particularly working time, wages, occupational safety and health, violence and harassment, HIV/AIDS

Module 13.

Advocating for equality of treatment and opportunities, and contributing to labour market integration and combating discrimination in diverse multi-ethnic workplaces and multilingual contexts

Module 14.

Impact of COVID-19 on labour migration

 

Start the course here.

 

Trade Unions Manual to Promote Migrant Workers’ Rights and Foster Fair Labour Migration Governance in Africa

International migration has been on the rise within Africa. In 2019, there were 26.3 million international migrants in Africa - an increase of 17.2 million since 2010. Movement across national borders in search of decent work is one of the key drivers of international migration. Throughout the migration and recruitment process, migrant workers are exposed to undue hardships and abuses in the form of low wages, poor working and living conditions, limited access to social protection, denial of freedom of association and workers’ rights, discrimination as well as social exclusion. Migrant workers’ contributions to the economies of their host and origin countries many times remains unaccounted for – yet migrant workers generate tremendous benefits to both.

In this context, there is a need therefore for a comprehensive and balanced approach to labour migration governance. Well-governed labour migration can contribute to sustainable development for countries of origin, transit and destination, and can provide benefits and opportunities for migrant workers and their families. In this regard, the ILO in collaboration with the Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP) and the African Union (AU), developed the Trade Union Manual to promote migrant workers’ rights and foster fair labour migration governance in Africa intended to achieve this objective.

The toolkit is composed of 14 training modules, each module has examples of international good practices and highlights the role that workers’ organizations play in each thematic area.

 

Labour Mobility and Regional Integration in East and Horn of Africa

This report analyses the role of the East African Community (EAC) Protocol on the Establishment of the East African Community Common Market (CMP) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Protocol on Free Movement of Persons in the IGAD Region (FMP) in facilitating labour mobility in the East and Horn of Africa (EHoA) region. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the legal and policy context of protecting the rights of migrant workers in the EHoA region, focusing on the EAC CMP and IGAD FMP and national labour provisions of the case study countries, namely Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. It also discusses the opportunities and challenges of overlapping memberships for the implementation of the IGAD FMP and acceleration of the EAC CMP in relation to labour mobility and migrant workers’ rights based on the experiences of Kenya and Uganda. It also explores the impact of overlapping memberships and COVID-19 on labour mobility while taking into account gender considerations.