The International Migrants Day will be observed today across the world to help raise awareness about safe migration and promote the fundamental human rights of migrants.
This year the day will be observed under the theme ‘Harnessing the potential of human mobility’.
Many people of Bangladesh migrate to other countries every year out of necessity. Right information and instructions can play an important role in directing these people towards safe migration, say experts.
Talking to the Bangladesh Post, Asif Munier, former National Programme officer of IOM and a migration and refugee affairs specialist said that the training facilities for the workers of our country should be upgraded.
“Basic language training should be provided along with the traditional education for better communication. A database of returnee migrants can be created to employ them in training the new workers. The returnee migrants can utilize their practical experience to train the new workers. The restrictions regarding educational qualifications can also be increased by a notch. In order to bring about a paradigm shift through the government’s eighth five-year plan, we must follow these steps,” he said.
He further said that Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) has been undertaken and is being implemented by the Government of Bangladesh with the support of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
“These initiatives have already been taken in a small scale but they should be introduced on a wider scale,” he added.
Dr Tasneem Siddiqui, founding Chair of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) told the Bangladesh Post that skill development should be our main focus at this point to harness the potential of migration.
“Vocational education should be incorporated into mainstream education. Subjects like Nursing, Healthcare, and Hospitality etc should be introduced in universities,” she said.
She further said, “Workers’ rights should be ensured in different countries through government initiatives. The four pillars of the ILO Decent Work Agenda that includes standards and rights at work, employment creation and enterprise development, social protection and social dialogue, should be ensured.”
On 4 December, 2000, the United Nations General Assembly, taking into account the increasing number of migrants in the world, proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day.
Every year on this day, the United Nations, through the UN-related agency International Organization for Migration (IOM), highlights the contributions made by migrants across the globe and the challenges they face.