Consultation on “Safe Migration with Private Sector and Stakeholders” at BAIRA Auditorium

06 September, 2016

The Bangladesh Ovibashi Adhikar Forum (BOAF) finally came into being on 17th March, 2014, whose main goal is to establish a viable socio-economic development with due dignity, safety and safe migration of all internal and external migrant workers and their families. On 3rd December, 2015, Thursday, a lively general meeting took place where nine (9) members’ executive committee of Bangladesh Ovibashi Adhikar Forum (BOAF), and many other network members were present in the annual general meeting. Nazmul Ahsan, President, Bangladesh Ovibashi Adhikar Forum (BOAF) expressed his cordial greetings for the presence of everyone who came so far. He also apologizes for changing the date frequently. He also agreed with Faruque Ahmed about the common platform issues. He thinks that WARBE facilitate that scope. He expected guidelines from Syed Saiful Haque because he has the national & international exposure on these issues. Jasiya Khatoon thinks that no one could be cheated if they can work together. She requested everyone to stay united for the sake of migrant workers. She also mentioned the contribution of WARBE for celebrating IMD since 2009 and that WARBE lobbied for establishing Migrants Bank. Finally she reviewed that there are so many places where they can work together.

06 September, 2016

We, the representatives of Winrock International, USAID Bangladesh, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Plan International Bangladesh, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Rights Jessore , SHISUK, Change Maker, BRAC, WARBE Development Foundation, Bangladeshi Ovhibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA), ANIRBAN, Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR) and BONGO BD, gathered in Dhaka on 30 July 2015. We recognize and are grateful for the leadership of the Government of Bangladesh in efforts to combat trafficking in persons, such as: – The launch of the National Plan of Action for Combating Human Trafficking 2015-2017. – Enactment of the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act, 2012. – Enactment of the Overseas Employment, Migration Act, 2013. Finally, we state together that trafficking in persons is the most heinous of offences that can be committed against a person, it victimizes people, stripes away dignity, removes a person’s self-determination and places victims in great peril. We say as one that trafficking in persons must be stopped, our collective efforts to stop trafficking in persons will continue and we will act as one to pursue justice and dignity for all.

05 September, 2016

WARBE Development Foundation, RMMRU, Manusher Jonno Foundation, and AWO jointly organized a “National Civil Society Consultation on 8th GFMD 2015” The objective of this National Civil Society Consultation is to introduce and highlight the Civil Society Days activities in the GFMD meeting as well as the thematic plenary and roundtable discussions to the participants from key migration and development organizations, networks, grassroots and community based organizations, migrants’ rights advocates, trade unions, private sector, representatives of the media and academia along with officials from the relevant government ministries for jointly strategize efforts relating to the GFMD 2015. Many journalists, NGO professionals, Government high-ups, and other important persons from different sectors attended in this day long civil society consultation program. The entire program was divided into four sessions which were moderated by different people. The sessions were: The Inaugural Session, Parallel Group Working Session on Thematic Roundtable, Reports of Group Working Session, and Concluding Session: Way Forward.

08 July, 2016

WARBE Development Foundation and Bangladesh Ovibashi Adhikar Forum (BOAF) with the support by AWO international arranged Consultation on Protection of Migrants Rights in on Human Rights Day. Objective of the program was: (a) Migrant Workers are in distress (b) Domestic Workers Convention 189 (c) Use of wage earners’ welfare fund (d) Voting rights of Migrant Workers In the beginning of the consultation Mr. Sharif Hossen Chowdhury, Coordinator of WARBE Development Foundation gave welcome speech. After his speech Md. Faruque Ahmed Secretary General of WARBE Development Foundation gave keynote presentation. In his presentation he talked about many migrants’ related problems, how migrant workers are facing problems and being violated. Even he shared his own experience as he is a returnee migrant. Then our two migrant victims Rowshan Ara Begum and Champa Begum shared their experience how they are become victim when they worked in Lebanon and Jordan. In the Panel Discussion Mr. Atikun Nabi(Executive Director, INAFI), Mr. Nazmul Ahsan (President, BOAF), Mr. Abul Bashar (Project Coordinator, RMMRU), Md. Shakirul Islam (Chairman, OKUP), Mr. Abul Hossain(President, Trade Union),Mr. Nur Khan Liton(Director, Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) everyone talked on this issue. They all were talked about rights of migrants’ workers, about convention, use of welfare fund and many related issues.

25 November, 2012

To observe the “International Day for the Elimination of the Violence against Women” WARBE Development Foundation organized a media campaign on “Problems of Domestic Workers and protect the Rights and Dignity – to ratify and implementation of ILO Convention 189” held on 25 November 2012 at Conference Room of National press club. Ms. Sumaiya Islam, Project Director of BOMSA was special discussant of this program. Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman of WARBE D F was moderator of the seminar where Mr. Abdul Awal, Project Coordinator of WARBE DF presented a key note paper.

04 November, 2012

A consultation discussion program involving various stakeholders organized by Migrants Forum in Asia (MFA) partners in Bangladesh (WARBE DF, RMMRU, ASK & ACD) and the Solidarity Centre was held at the BRAC Center Inn, Dhaka, Bangladesh on November 4-5, 2012. The main objective of the program was to advance the campaign for the ratification of the ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers and promote recognition of the human rights and labor rights of domestic workers in Bangladesh through cooperation among stakeholders. Well-recognized personalities from various institutions attended the two-day consultation program and opined and recommended numerous options to further the objective. The inaugural session was chaired by Dr. Wajedul Islam, Bangladesh Trade Union Centre and welcome remarks were made by Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman, WARBE Development Foundation and Mr. Allonzo Suson, Solidarity Center and Mr. Jeffrey Scarry from USAID, Bangladesh was present as the Guest of Honor. Followed by the exercise, the closing session of the two-day multi-stakeholder conference was held. The session was chaired by Dr, C. R. Abrar- Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit. A number of renowned personalities attended the session. Mr. Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, BILS/ Domestic Workers Rights Network summarized the previous session of the consultation where Wazedul Islam Khan, Trade Union Organization, Ms. Nisha, International Labor Organization, Ms. Shaheen Anam, Manusher Jonno Foundation were present as the special guest and Mr. Md. Israfil Alam, MP-Chairman of Standing Parliamentary Committee on Ministry of Labor and Employment Bangladesh Parliament was present as a chief guest of the program. A number of the suggestions that came out of the group discussions are listed below: Must ensure discrimination free environment for both male and female workers; Include clauses or articles that will ensure rights and opportunities of migrant domestic workers; Education should be made mandatory as articulated in the ILO convention; Government should initiate awareness raising programs; Appointing child as a domestic worker should be a punishable offense. However, keeping the socioeconomic context of Bangladesh, if appointed, child domestic workers(below 14 years of age) should enjoy access to education and proper recreation to support his/her mental and physical growth; Domestic workers’ age of retirement should not exceed 60 years; Ensure security insurance, social security, provident fund and economic security for every domestic workers; Along with labor and employment ministry, foreign ministry, expatriate, education, women and child ministry and social welfare ministry should be designated with proper authority as implementation ministry; Accumulation of ILO Convention 87 and Convention 98 and regulations for implementation of these conventions.