On 16-17 March 2015, at the Imperial Garden Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, MMN along with Legal Support for Children and Women (LSCW) hosted a Workshop on ASEAN Integration and Labour Migration in the Mekong. The workshop was held with the support of Oxfam.

More than 60 participants from civil society organisations (CSOs), inter-governmental organisations (IGOs), research institutions and private foundations from throughout the GMS took part in the workshop which aimed to strengthen the understanding of the link between ASEAN integration and labour migration in the Mekong, and exchange their knowledge on ASEAN human rights mechanisms and jointly explore areas of action.

Plenary sessions were conducted on topics including “ASEAN Economic Integration and Implications for Labour Migration in the Mekong” and “Human Rights Mechanisms within ASEAN”. Mr. Rafendi Djamin, Indonesian Representative to the ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights, gave a presentation on “ASEAN Integration: The Current Framework Regarding the Movement of the People”. Participants also heard from representatives from the ILO about mechanisms relating to ASEAN integration, and civil society and government representatives gave presentations on human rights bodies and mechanisms within ASEAN. Sunsanee Sutthisunsanee of Thailand’s Law Reform Commission presented on the draft ASEAN Declaration on the Rights of Workers, and H.E. Dr. Vathana Sann from the General Council for Agricultural and Rural development, Cambodia, presented on the ASEAN social protection framework, and the importance of social security.

The workshop also provided an opportunity for participants to examine and discuss potential opportunities for civil society engagement with ASEAN, and brainstorm future advocacy opportunities for ASEAN bodies including AICHR, ACWC, and AFML. As well as increasing participants’ knowledge and understanding of ASEAN integration and ASEAN mechanisms, key outcomes included ideas for joint advocacy strategies and future capacity building and training to build on the knowledge gained in this workshop.

Download Presentations in PDF:

ASEAN Integration: the current framework regarding the movement of people, Mr. Rafendi Djamin

Video on Mutual Recognition of Skills by ILO

ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the rights of Migrant Workers (ACMW), Ms. Laura Barisone

ASEAN Commission on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), Ms. Sunee Singh

ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), Ms. Evelyn Balais Serrano

Advocating for development of ASEAN Standards and Mechanisms on Protecting Migrant Workers, Ms. Sunsanee Sutthisunsanee

ASEAN Declaration to Strengthen Social Protection and an update on drafting the framework, H.E. Dr. Vathana Sann