Lessons Learnt:

In 2005, the L&M Task Force has continued to raise awareness on the precarious situation of women migrant workers in particular domestic workers and the need for increased recognition and protection of their rights at national, regional and international levels. For example, as a result of Task Force efforts, the UNSR on Human Rights of Migrant Workers has consented to working with groups in Asia Pacific to highlight the issues of women migrant workers at the international level. The Committee on the Convention of Migrant Workers has created space and extended an invitation to regional NGOs working on migration issues in the region to attend the UN High Panel on Migration and Development to be held in 2006. Closer collaboration will be examined in 2006 for activities which will see the Task Force bringing in grassroots organisations in consultative fora to voice their concerns.

Task Force members also raised awareness about the ongoing challenges for women migrant workers at the 61st session of the UNCHR. Throughout 2005 Task Force members were able to explore emerging issues in the region, expand alliances and strengthen the regional dimension of the existing migrant domestic worker campaign. Working under the objective to strengthen national partner’s efforts in advocacy and campaigns at the national level, notable work has been done by Komnas Perempuan and Ain-O-Salish Kendra’s work on highlighting the plight of women migrant domestic workers. Participation at the anti WTO activities with other APWLD members and partners strengthened the Task Force’s efforts in building alliances at the regional and international levels. Members and partners came together to collectively protest against the WTO as one of the major players contributing to unjust and anti-people policies that have come into existence in the last 10 years of the WTO's existence.

Back to back with its annual meeting, the L&M Task Force members had an excursion to meet with plantation and migrant factory workers in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is one of the largest importer of foreign labour in Asia. There are an estimated 2.4 million migrant workers in Malaysia, half of them undocumented, primarily employed in construction, factories, palm oil plantations and domestic service. Women make up majority of the workforce in Malaysian plantations, and have been historically employed as unskilled, temporary contract workers doing the most menial and underpaid jobs. These meetings revealed that because of Malaysia’s failure to reform its flawed immigration and labour policies, migrant workers become prey to abusive employers and labour agents. The authorities regularly arrest suspected undocumented workers and detain them in immigration detention centers prior to deportation. Women play the dual role of providing cheap labour and social stability as urbanisation and industrialisation has pushed men and the young to work in the new industrial zones. Women’s work in plantations is generally to spray pesticides and with lack of proper protection against chemicals, these women suffer from many illnesses. The L&M Task Force will continue to work with national partners in highlighting this situation.

Also, research has commenced which will collate baseline data on the scope of work which is expected of migrant women domestic workers and the existing legal standards which are currently applicable to this sector. The research is intended then to provide an appropriate definition of domestic work which encompasses all aspects of the work undertaken in this sector and which can then be used by APWLD network members for lobbying for full protection of this group of workers within national legislation. Research has also started on the state of women employed in tax free zones or export processing zones in Asia Pacific. The research focuses on the macro-economic forces under globalisation that worsen conditions of work of this highly vulnerable group, as well as the available mechanisms or potential for mechanisms to enforce these workers rights to fair and decent work. This signifies the Task Force’s renewed commitment to not only addressing migrant worker issues, but also those challenges being faced by local women workers at the national level in an era of increased globalisation and employment scarcity.

Future Plans
In the upcoming year the L&M programme will focus on addressing the lack of legal protection and human rights standards for women migrant workers and those employed under sub-standard working conditions. It will also look into State laws and policies under globalisation that exploit women workers and women migrant workers. To address these issues, it will adopt a two-pronged strategy: identifying and exposing discriminatory laws and policies, human rights violations against migrant women workers and women workers, and advocating for the recognition of domestic work and the realisation of the human rights of women workers.

The L&M programme intends to work with women migrant workers in home countries and host countries. APWLD’s extensive network among women and human rights groups and the legal expertise of its members positions the L&M programme to strategically address the lack of legal protection for women workers and migrant women workers in the area of domestic work. The development of human rights standards for the recognition of domestic work is intended to respond to the concerns of women workers, at home and abroad. L&M members will also work with other migrant and labour groups for the recognition of domestic work and realisation of women workers’ rights in Asia Pacific. In this regard, the L&M programme will focus on capacity-building for its members and strengthening alliances with other movements. The Task Force will continue to build capacity of its members with the use of UN Mechanisms.

In every aspect of its work, the Task Force will endeavour to increase recognition for the invaluable and often unrecognised contributions that women workers in Asia Pacific make to national and global economies. At the same time it will continue to respond to changing landscapes in Asia Pacific, and the changing needs of its network members, as it pushes for the promotion and protection of all women workers rights.

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