In order to promote and protect the rights of migrants and migrant workers, Cambodia and the Philippines held their first bilateral round table meeting over migration earlier this week.
According to a joint statement released after the meeting and obtained by Khmer Times yesterday, migrants and migrant workers play an important role in the economic growth and development of both countries. The assurance and protection of migrant rights with legally-binding international and regional legislation will only strengthen the economies of Cambodia and the Philippines, it said.
The joint statement said part of the assistance to migrants must come from in-country consulates.
“As countries of origin, both sides shall promote mutual support and cooperation between their respective diplomatic and consular missions abroad and between the line ministries in charge of migrants and migrant workers temporarily or permanently residing abroad, including through capacity-building cooperation, regular consultation and exchange of views and best practices in addressing challenges encountered in relation to protection and promotion of migrants and migrant workers’ rights and welfare,” the statement said.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitments to those migrants most at risk of mistreatment, especially women and children suffering at the hands of human traffickers. The countries vowed to seek third-party or third-country help in the event they alone are unable to protect a worker’s rights.
Labor Ministry secretary of state Soeung Sarsochenda said that although the Cambodian government does not consider relying on migrant labor as the only path to long term economic-social development, the government has recognized that supporting migrant workers helps in the overall development of the Kingdom’s families and communities and also reduces country-wide poverty rates.
“Relating to labor migration, the government has been making efforts to educate and encourage workers who want to migrate to work abroad, to choose an appropriate means to do so in order to cut down the risks of human trafficking,” Ms. Sarsochenda said.
She added that the efforts to protect workers on the part of the country sending them was vital, but requires cooperation from the country receiving the workers to guarantee full protection.
“The Cambodian government welcomes and supports the initiative of the government of the Philippines to have a joint declaration to protect foreigners and migrated workers,” Ms. Sarsochenda added.
Jesus Yabes, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, said during the roundtable with Cambodia that the Philippines has been organizing four important processes in order to control migration, including the institution of an integration program for incoming migrants.
There are more than 620,000 Cambodians now working overseas.
By: Mom Kunthear, Khmer Times