Mr. Patrick Taran was one of the key panelists during the virtual panel discussion held on GCM(Global Compact for Migration ) Objective 6: “Facilitate fair and ethical recruitment and safeguard conditions that ensure decent work”. This event was hosted by Global Research Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism [GRFDT], Migrant Forum in Asia, Cross-Regional Centre for Refugees and Migrants, and Civil Society Action Committee on 6th October 2020. Mr. Patrick Taran is President of Global Migration Policy Associates. He has 35 years of experience in the field of international migration, immigration, refugee resettlement and discrimination or integration work at local, national and global levels. He shared his views on the recent issues of social protection of migrant workers, both in the workplace and in the country of destination. He also mentioned the ways in which the GCM can be effective in promoting measures for social protection of migrant workers and what are the drawbacks prevailing in the compact.
Migrant Workers: Not A Labor Commodity
In order to address the current situation of how the protection of the workers in the country of destination is compromised, it is essential to note how the shift in the terminology can make a difference. Talking about terminology, it can be stated that the shift from identifying the migrant workers as a commodity to providing a more humane approach of defining them is important if the rights of the workers in the country of destination is to be attended and therefore the workers can be referred to as “migrant workers instead of labor migrants” says Mr. Taran. The idea of decent work has to be transformed through a more humanistic lens considering that there is already a prevailing hierarchy in terms of where the migrant workers usually move such as the countries in Europe , where there is a decline in the workforce.
Fundamental Issues Troubling Migrant Workers
“The question of the seriousness and absence of protection is a big issue” says Mr. Taran.
The migrant workers, after going through the recruitment process in the country of origin moves to the country of destination and in the process they face violation of their rights both at their work place and in the country in general. According to Mr. Taran, one of the major problems the migrant workers face is the inability to claim social protection in the country of destination. This situation can be represented through the status of Nepali and Indian migrant workers who had moved to the countries of the Middle East. Roughly around 2000-3000 migrant workers die every week in the countries of destination i.e. in the Middle Eastern countries and every year according to the Nepali authorities, corpses of Nepali citizens are sent back to their home country. However, efforts are made in certain EU member countries such as Portugal and Spain where labor inspectors have themselves taken proactive roles to make sure inspections are done at the work place, where the realities of the migrant workers can be captured, irrespective of whether it is documented or undocumented data of migration.
The Tool of GCM
The GCM helps to protect workers. It promises to work towards extending the rights of the workers at work places in the destination countries. Generally, the rights of the migrant workers are either denied or not enforced. Every country is making efforts to implement the 23 objectives of the compact via the channels of International Labor Standards and basic principles of Human Rights involved in the Human Rights Convention under the rule of law. The compact has also acted as a productive and safe instrument for European Investors in European Countries.
However, the GCM has to work towards implementation of the Objective 6 which focuses on decent work and safe conditions under which migrant workers should be working in the country of destination. Country of destination and origin should coordinate in terms of taking equal responsibilities for the migrant workers in case of death and injury.
Pooja Priya, is a postgraduate in sociology from Delhi school of economics, University of Delhi. She holds research interests in: migration within the global south, marginalization for ethnically minority groups, racialization in India. Twitter id: poojapr9285606