Migrant workers only spectators in migration talks

MANILA, Philippines - As more than 400 delegates from different sectors and countries discussed the plight of women migrants in a recently concluded Manila forum, an Indonesian delegate asked, “Where are my fellow domestic helpers?" Sumiyati, a member of the Coalition for Migrant Rights Hong Kong, told an audience of 150 last Friday she felt disheartened that only two domestic workers were invited to the International Conference on Gender, Migration and Development (ICGMD). “I feel sad because I don’t see many migrant workers like myself," the 48-year-old Indonesian migrant and conference speaker said. About 436 ICGMD participants – mostly government senior officials from UN member states, trade union leaders, women and migrant advocacy groups, the academe, and the private sector – gathered September 25 to 26 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila. “They talk about us but everyone here are NGOs and government officials," Sumiyati, who worked in Hong Kong for seven years, told GMANews.TV. “Of course it’s not enough. Next time there must be more (migrants)," she added, referring to the upcoming 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development in Manila in October 27 to 30. Prof. Aurora Javate De Dios, former chair of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), said they didn’t mean to exclude domestic workers from the discussion. The two-day forum was organized by the NCRFW in partnership with other migrant worker groups and international institutions like the Unicef and the International Labor Organization. De Dios explained that since the different delegates in the conference were made to shoulder their own expenses to Manila, only the leaders of migrant domestic workers were able to come. “Talagang kulang ang pondo; kanya-kanya ang funding (The funds were not enough; each delegate had to shoulder the travel expenses)," De Dios told GMANews.TV on Wednesday. De Dios also said that while it might be ideal to invite more migrant household service workers from all over the world, the high-level discussions among the members of the academe and policy makers might not appeal very well to them. Participants to the ICGMD issued a resolution on Tuesday urging different governments to uphold the rights of women migrants by creating fair and gender sensitive polices and practices. Domestic work should also be recognized as work in international and national laws, effectively recognizing their human, social, labor, and trade union rights like the other workers, according to the groups. With the help of diplomatic and consular missions, restrictions on organizing and joining trade unions and migrant organizations should also be reduced, they said. Meanwhile, Sumiyati said the only way for advocates of overseas workers to reach their goal is for the governments to start looking into the long-term welfare of all migrants. “Development to me means that our governments create jobs and improve the life of the people in our country so that we don’t have to work overseas," she said. - GMANews.TV