Promising practices for fair recruitment in Bangladesh: Digitised management of recruitment agencies

This document highlights promising practices for fair recruitment in Bangladesh with a focus on the use of digital technology for increased management of recruitment agencies and facilitating access to labour justice.

Bangladesh: Labour force survey 2022

Labour statistics is the collection, analysis, and reporting of data related to labour and employment. These statistics express the performance, trends, and characteristics of the labour market. It is also beneficial to governments, policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers and the public which helps understand and help to informed decisions about employment and workforce-related issues. It ensures the fair treatment and protection of workers' rights. Thus labour statistics play a crucial role in comprehending the challenges and opportunities within the labour market, guiding policy decisions to enhance labour conditions, create employment opportunities, and promote economic growth. The Labour Force Survey has been conducted with 4 to 5 years intervals in Bangladesh since 1980.

 

This survey has been conducted under the project of Improving Labour Market Information system (ILMIS) project aims to meet the data demand achieving the 8th five-year plan, SD's indicators, other data relating to employment, unemployment and overall key issues addressed to labour market in Bangladesh.

Labour Force Survey is a household-based sample survey which provides statistics on the characteristics of labour force at the national and divisional levels. The survey findings will allow to provide input for labour market analysis to monitor the progress of programs taken by the government in particular creation of employment in the country. This survey will truly work as the mirror of development by reflecting the picture of labour market development of the country.

The chapter 15 of this publication is dedicated to the measure the recruitment cost and income of migrant workers. One of the findings of the study indicates that recruitment costs are significantly higher for male labour migrants compared to female. The proportion of recruitment cost in a monthly earnings varies broadly between male and female. To recover recruitment cost, female needs 7.8 months whereas male needs long 15.1 months.

Understanding patterns of structural discrimination of migrant and other workers in some countries of South and West Asia

This background paper reviews the literature that sheds light on the structural patterns of discrimination against migrant workers in some countries of South and West Asia. It also articulates recommendations that would help officials in UN agencies, international organizations, constituents and other civil society individuals and groups, while referring to the existing evidence of structural discrimination to support the application of international labour standards.

While references to international non-discrimination standards do occasionally surface in public discourses, this paper reviews evidence that discrimination in the world of work is not only characterized by socially deviant cases of discriminatory abuse, as reported in the media, but is rather intrinsic to the way various market economies and political systems are structured. This is manifested by indicators of privilege for some and indicators of deprivation for those at the bottom of the social and political hierarchies, including the interaction between both.

 

Media representation of women migrant workers: A critical look

The study reviews how overseas women migrant workers are characterized in print and electronic media in accordance with gender, class and geographic stereotypes. It critically assesses how women's multiple roles as workers, earners, investors, mothers and daughters, etc. are overshadowed by simplistic narratives focusing on exploitation and victimhood.

This study is based on migration-related news published in four widely circulated national English and Bangla dailies and reports aired on three television channels. The study is an in-depth analysis of the news articles and videos published and diffused between 2015 and 2021. Findings depict a majoritarian bias focusing on individual cases illustrating highly abusive women’s labour migration experiences to attract readership and viewership. Yet, reporting on how women’s labour migration also emancipates them in the context of work, family and social lives was found to be rare, thus leaving and cultivating a common perception conflating all women’s migration with abuse. Considering that such narratives reinforce a false perception that the solution to such abuses is to ban women’s migration, the analysis concludes that while human rights violations faced by migrant workers must be addressed, coverage exclusively focusing on abuses is socially dis-empowering to women and more nuanced reporting on women’s labour migration is needed.

 

Working Paper on Operational Parameters to Assess Fair Recruitment Practices

These parameters list a series of questions and issues that should be looked into in order to assess recruitment practices.

In South Asia, the pathways to jobs in domestic, garment or other similar sectors within the region or to the Middle East are intersected by various agents or contractors in an environment shaped by multiple rules and practices determining the mobility of aspiring workers especially women. The fluidity and segmentation of labour supply chains and labour regimes are such that none of the key stakeholders such as labour recruiters, regulators and even employers can guarante on their own a fair migration outcome for any workers. To do so requires understanding the specificity of recruitment processes from end to end and strong multi-stakeholder cooperation. The purpose of these operational parameters is to identify the main fields that need to be assessed and related questions when analyzing recruitment processes.

 

Rebels, victims, agents of change: The singular histories of women migrant workers

The purpose of this ethnographic study is to shed light on how women view their migration and work abroad. The findings challenge conventional narratives on labour migration of women and bring out important perspectives that invaluably inform policymaking.

The research provides in-depth qualitative data on women labour migration, free of a priori judgment in a context where such activity remains contested in many parts of society. The aim is to present on women’s migratory journeys and in the process re-visit these gender constructions, as well as the social class ranking that associates honour and rank with a specific gender order. It is an important reference for academics, activists and Government practitioners.

 

Promising practices for fair recruitment

This list presents a series of promising fair recruitment practices and results from a stocktaking exercise undertaken five years after the launch of the Fair Recruitment Initiative (FRI).

 

Establishment of the National Union of Malagasy Domestic Workers (SENAMAMA) 

Code of Conduct for Ethiopian Overseas Private Employment Agencies 

Recruitment of health workers through bilateral labour agreements (BLAs): Kenya and the United Kingdom 

Madagascar alignment of labour code to newly ratified conventions 

Regulation of Private Recruitment Agencies in Uganda 

Law amendment concerning management of migrant workers in Thailand 

Revision of the Law on Contract-Based Overseas Workers 

Italian National Action Plan to tackle labour exploitation, unlawful recruitment and forced labour in agriculture 

Nepal – Bilateral labour agreements include provisions related to fair recruitment  

Bangladesh – Government capacity enhanced to promote fair recruitment in bilateral negotiations and arrangements 

Tunisia – Formation of a new body of inspectors for the recruitment industry  

India – Blacklisting employers and recruiters abroad to protect Indian migrant workers  

Piloting fair recruitment from Bangladesh to Qatar in the construction sector  

Fair recruitment pilot between Nepal and Jordan in the garment sector  

Mexico - Fair recruitment practice by recruitment agency adapted to COVID-19  

Code of Conduct on the fair recruitment of Filipino migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong (China)  

Code of Conduct in international supply chains by Responsible Business Alliance 

Commitment to fair recruitment and due diligence in the sugar and palm oil industry of Guatemala   (English) Guatemala – Compromiso con la contratación equitativa y la debida diligencia en el sector guatemalteco del azúcar y el aceite de palma (Español)

Zero recruitment fee policy for (migrant) workers in Jordan 

Guatemala – Outreach through trade unions including attention to COVID-19 (English) Guatemala – Difusión a través de los sindicatos, incluida la atención a la COVID-19 (Español)

Raising Pakistani migrant worker’s awareness of their right to fair recruitment

 

IOM-MPI Issue in Brief No. 1 - Labour Migration from Colombo Process Countries: Good practices, challenges and ways forward

International migration has occurred throughout history and regions of the world. Human mobility to, from and within Asia, however, has certain distinctive features, and Asia represents arguably the most dynamic region, with significant intra- and extra-regional migration and some countries being simultaneously origins of and destinations for migrants. 

The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific today launched an issue briefs series focusing in particular on labour migration in the region. The eight-part series also will examine diaspora engagement in Asia and climate-induced migration.

The first issue brief, Labour Migration from the Colombo Process Countries, examines labour migration from the 11 Colombo Process countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam). In 2010, an estimated 4.2 million workers migrated from these countries through official channels, many leaving on a temporary basis to work in the Middle East. 

The Philippines sent the largest number (nearly 1.5 million), followed by India (641,000) and Indonesia (576,000). Overall, an estimated 44.7 million migrants from the region are living outside their country of origin. 

Since 2005, the Colombo Process countries have taken concrete, proactive steps to manage the migration flows and protect their citizens working abroad, strengthening their legislative and administrative frameworks addressing recruitment regulation and welfare protection, as well as signing new accords with key destination countries. Despite the progress, however, the brief details a number of remaining challenges and highlights 10 possible areas of focus for governments.

“Governments in Colombo Process countries face a formidable task: creating efficient and equitable migration systems that benefit labour migrants and their families while contributing to long-term economic growth and development in countries of origin and destination,” said Andy Bruce, IOM regional director for Asia and the Pacific.

In June, IOM and MPI will publish the second issue brief, this one focusing on migrant health issues in the Asia-Pacific region. Subsequent briefs will be published every month through December, and will be available at IOM Online Bookstore and Migration Policy Institute.

 

Comparative Reintegration Outcomes between Forced and Voluntary Return and Through a Gender Perspective

This report presents the outcomes of two combined research projects: 1) “Comparative reintegration outcomes in forced and voluntary returns”, and 2) “Understanding and implementing gender-sensitive sustainable reintegration”. The aims of these projects were to study differences in reintegration outcomes between forced and voluntary returnees, and male and female returnees in various return contexts and by identifying other factors that affect reintegration outcomes at the individual, community and structural level.

The projects were commissioned by IOM under the EU-IOM Knowledge Management Hub, funded by the European Union, and designed and implemented by a research team based at the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance (MGSoG), Maastricht University.

Research for this report was conducted in six countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, El Salvador, the Gambia, Nigeria and Somalia), using a mix of methods. The methodology consisted of the analysis of quantitative data collected by IOM country missions and the research team using the RSS tool, and the analysis of qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews with returnees, family members of returnees and key informant interviews.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - EN

REPORT - EN

COUNTRY PROFILES - EN

RESUMEN EJECUTIVO - ES

INFORME FINAL - ES

PERFILES DE PAÍS - ES

 

Lessons Learned Part 1: Outreach to migrant women in areas of origin

This document describes the lessons learned by the Work in Freedom programme on outreach to migrant women in areas where they migrate from. This compilation was preceded by an earlier edition of Lessons Learned in October 2017, followed by another one in February 2019. The findings are important to inform Governments, donors and civil society groups on their policies regarding the protection of migrant women, safe migration, pre-departure training and orientation and more.