National Consultation on Global Forum on Migration and Development GFMD 2011, Geneva – Bangladesh Consultation

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.

09 October, 2012

The UN General Assembly hosted the first High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development on 14 to 15 September 2006 in New York, USA. The objective of the forum was to maximize development benefits of migration. And it was decided that a second Dialogue should be held in September 2013. The second Dialogue will focus on the progress that has been made since the inaugural event while also highlighting new and continuing challenges governments are facing. Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) partners in Bangladesh (WARBE DF, RMMRU, ASK & ACD) has organized a roundtable consultation on “The 2nd UN High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development, 2013” at the CIRDAP Auditorium, Dhaka from 08 to 09 October 2012. The objective of this consultation is to bring together key migration and development organizations, networks, grassroots and community based organizations, migrants’ rights advocates, trade unions, representatives of the media and academia along with relevant government ministries to coordinate and jointly strategize efforts relating to the 2nd UN High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development in 2013. Discussion has been participating by the representative from GOs, different NGOs, Private Sector, Trade Union, and Migrants Associations, also individual migrants and representative of International Organizations & UN agencies.

16 February, 2012

Overseas job seekers from Bangladesh are exploited at home and abroad in many ways due to non- implementation of UN Convention on migrant workers, said speakers during the seminar on “Comprehensive law & Policy to protect Migrants’ Rights in Light of UN Convention 1990”. The Seminar was held in the CIRDAP Auditorium, Dhaka, on 16th February 2012 from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. The event was organized by WARBE Development Foundation (WARBE DF) supported by Manusher Jonno Foundation. Mr. Hazrat Ali, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MEWOE) enriched the session as Chief Guest. Ms. Rina Roy, Director, Manusher Jonno Foundation shared her view as Special Guest Speaker. Dr. Uttam Kumar Das, Deputy Director, South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (SAILS) attended the Seminar as Keynote Speaker. Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman of WARBE Development Foundation (WARBE DF) as chair moderated the Seminar and Ms. Jasiya Khatoon, Project Coodinator, WARBE DF addressed her welcome remarks.

21 November, 2011

WARBE Development Foundation and BRAC has organized a seminar on “Rights and Dignity of Domestic Workers and Ratification of ILO Convention 189” at Political Science Dept. of Dhaka University on 21st November 2011. Ms. Jasiya Khatoon, Coordinator of the WARBE Development Foundation and Mr. Sk. Mujibul Huq, Senior Manager, BRAC presented their key note presentation on the mentioned issues. Ms. Sumaiya Islam, Director, Bangladesh Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA) discussed on “Women Migrants’ Situation in South Asia”, Mr. Shakirul Islam, Chair, OKUP “Role of Governments in Sending countries”, Mr. Bishnu Khatri, Executive Director, Youth Action Nepal “Situation of Migrant Workers in Nepal”, Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman, WARBE DF “Why Domestic Worker’s Convention ratification requires” and Ms. Rina Roy, Director, Manusher Jonno Foundation “Role of Civil Society and Migrant’s Rights in Sending Countries” took part in the discussion. The seminar was chaired by Mr. Alison Subrata Baroi, Program Coordinator, BRAC.

30 April, 2011

On the occasion of the 1st May, International Labor Day WARBE DF organized some events on 30 April 2011. WARBE DF also organized a human chain in front of the National Press Club and a discussion meeting on “Protection of the Rights of Bangladeshi Migrants “at the Dhaka Reporters Unity Conference Room. The event was co-funded by DanChurch Aid and the European Union. Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman of WARBE DF, presided the meeting, where Mr. Faruque Ahmed, Secretary General of WARBE DF gave his welcome address and Ms. Jasiya Khatoon coordinator, WARBE DF, read out the statement of May Day. A variety of high-ranking and eminent Bangladeshi leaders in from business, the government, and NGOs were there, including Mr Mojibul Huq, a Senior Manager at BRAC. The following important issues were discussed in this meeting – Middle Eastearn crisis, specially Libya and protection issue of Bangladeshi migrants Repatriated Bangladeshi migrants from Libya and their successful reintegration Importance of ILO convention on domestic workers for ensuring dignity and justice for women migrants Proper implementation of UN Convention 1990

17 April, 2011

In collaboration with Migrant Forum in Asia- WARBE Development Foundation, the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), Association for Community Development (ACD) and Ain O Salish Kendro (ASK) has organized the Parallel Civil Society Meeting to the Colombo Process on 17-18 April 2011 in BIAM Meghna Auditorium, Bangladesh. Different foreign delegates also presented at this consultation. The Regional Consultative Process on the Management of Overseas Employment & Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin – known generally as the Colombo Process – was initiated in 2003, when participants from the main labour sending countries in Asia met in Colombo, Sri Lanka to discuss new patterns of labour migration that have emerged in the region over the last decade. The parallel civil society meeting to the Colombo Process is a direct follow-up to our initiatives over the previous years in building momentum to raise awareness on the Colombo Process. While civil society participation has been institutionalized at the UN processes as well as in many other fora including the ASEAN process, this is not the case in the Colombo Process. As such, civil society organizations know very little about the Colombo Process even as they recognize its importance as a regional platform for dialogue on labour migration issues. The closed-door nature of the process provides significant impetus for the organization of parallel processes. The aim of this meeting is to further bring awareness to the Colombo Process, and to involve the relevant civil society and non-state actors. Themes that were addressed included: Recent developments in the Arab World Labour recruitment practices (a follow-up of the UAE workshop on recruitment) Standard contracts by sector (e.g. migrant domestic workers) ‘Reference wage’ for migrant workers (follow-up to the Dubai workshop) Developments in work on the Kafala system