Working towards dignified labour for migrants 

ROME, 11 July 2014 (ICMC) - Like people everywhere, migrants desire access to decent working conditions with social protection. Nevertheless, many will accept poor working conditions to earn money and feed their families. ICMC members consistently mention the importance of decent, sustainable work “at home” so that migration remains a choice rather than a necessity.

ICMC policy associate Cathy Nguyen presented on migrant workers at a seminar on decent work with the International Labour Organization in Rome on 29 April. She outlined some of ICMC’s policies that promote migrants fundamental human rights and advocate for better treatment. 

“The desire to contribute in productive, fulfilling labour is part and parcel of being human,” Nguyen stated. “Migrant labour, especially when work is respectable and includes social protection, is a major contributor to development.”

ICMC supports decent work by co-drafting a joint statement on decent employment and social protection, with a particular emphasis on migrant workers and youth; leading the migration group of the International Forum of Catholic-inspired NGOs to push governments to consider a specific set of migrant and migration-related goals, targets and indicators for the new MDGs/SDGs; and leading the civil society activities in the Global Forum on Migration and Development.

ICMC looks forward to further engaging actively with governments, international organizations and civil society groups and is determined to see decent work respected as a stronghold of human dignity, human development and common good.

To read the full speech, please click here for the PDF.

APR2014.ICMC .technical.advocacy.input .Rome 1.pdf (287.32 KB)