Maritime
ILO launches a new project for fair
recruitment in Philippines
T
he International Labour Organization (ILO) has
launched a new project to promote fair recruitment
practices globally and across specific migration
corridors.
The Integrated Programme on Fair Recruitment,
or FAIR , was launched on 3 August 2016 in
Manila. In partnership with the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation (SDC) this 3-year project further
aims to reduce cases of deceptive and coercive practices during
the recruitment process, and to test new intervention models to
regulate effectively and create fair recruitment options for migrant
workers.
“The Philippines has made significant progress in developing
legislation and policies that address challenges in the recruitment
process, including the hiring of migrant domestic workers. It also
has another sector – the seafarers – which provides a good model
of practice to all – in that no recruitment fees are charged against
workers,” said Tomoko Nishimoto, the ILO Assistant Director-General
and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. “I hope the FAIR
project is able to further develop and showcase innovative practices on fair recruitment, particularly those that benefit low wage
workers.”
The Philippines, as one of the pilot countries, will contribute to
a global knowledge system on what works and does not work with
respect to fair recruitment practices. The FAIR project will use the
knowledge and best practices to address regulatory and enforcement gaps,
Tomoko Nishimoto, the ILO Assistant Director-General
“As the vanguard agency that is committed to protect its
globally-mobile Filipino workforce, the Department of Labor
and Employment welcomes the global fair recruitment initiative
of the ILO. The Department has, for many years, worked hand-inhand with the ILO in promoting decent and productive work in the
Philippines. The Fair Recruitment Project is a concrete step in international cooperation towards the promotion of fair, legal, and ethical
recruitment principles and practices; combating labour exploitation
and debt bondage; and continuing dialogue to address the challenge of
reducing the cost of recruitment or labour mobility, which are crucial
elements in the management of labour migration,” said Labour Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III.
A new ILO initiative aims to protect workers travelling abroad from unfair
and deceptive hiring practices.
improve complaint and remedy mechanisms, foster social dialogue
and ultimately ensure the implementation of fair recruitment practices
based on international labour standards and core human rights instruments.
Working closely with government, workers’ and employers’ organizations as well as the media and key civil society partners, the FAIR
project will employ the following key strategies: strengthening global
knowledge on national and international recruitment practices; reinforcing laws, policies and enforcement mechanisms to enhance fair
recruitment practices; promoting fair business practices; and empowering
and protecting workers.
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A tripartite meeting of experts to develop the technical guidelines
on fair recruitment , convened by the ILO Governing Body, will be
chaired by the Philippines in September 2016. The three-day meeting
will finalize the ILO guidelines on fair recruitment, encompassing
both cross-border and national recruitment. The guidelines will
inform the general discussion on labour migration that has been
included on the agenda of the International Labour Conference in
June 2017, and the recurrent discussion on fundamental principles
and rights at work.