Red Cross, Red Crescent societies take stand on labor migration
With the increasing number of cases of abuse and exploitation of migrant workers all over the world, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) took the lead in addressing the matter of women migrant workers and the humanitarian aspects involved in their employment by hosting the two-day Manila Conference on Labor Migration 2015, together with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Their focus was on the most vulnerable, the female household service workers.
“The conference aims to establish protocols that would guide the Red Cross Movement in extending assistance to women migrant workers. We aim to come up with measures on how we can engage our governments so we can better protect these most vulnerable and provide dignity and respect for them,” PRC chairman Richard Gordon said in his keynote address.
The “Manila Declaration on Women Migrant Workers” was unanimously adopted and confirmed by the representatives and leaders of RCRC societies in attendance and external partners including government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and international organizations like the IOM and ILO.
Part of the Manila Declaration reads, “We, the National Societies, commit to strengthen our partnerships within and across countries in order to ensure the working environment of migrant workers in host countries fosters tolerance and cultural respect, and where the individual needs and vulnerabilities of migrant workers, irrespective of their status are properly addressed, consistent with the principles of humanity and universality.”
As the highest official in attendance of the IFRC which represents 189 RCRC societies, IFRC secretary general Elhadj As Sy commended the Philippine Red Cross and chairman Gordon for their efforts on advocating protection for migrant workers. “I want to pay tribute to the leadership of Chairman Gordon. As a member of IFRC’s governing board, and even before that, Chairman Gordon has been a strong voice on the international stage advocating on behalf of migrant workers,” said As Sy.
To further strengthen the Red Cross’ stand on labor migration issues, the PRC signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), represented by its administrator Hans Leo Cacdac. PRC and POEA commit to work together to protect the rights of all migrant workers, with a focus on women household service workers who are the most vulnerable.