The first “Regional Manual” prepared on the reintegration of migrant workers in the South Asian region was launched today (14) under the chairmanship of Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara.
This manual was launched during the Working Group Meeting of the Colombo Process which was held with the participation of state representatives from 11 member countries.
The manual includes guidance on best practices and methodologies for sustainable gender-responsive solutions for the reintegration of migrant workers who return to the country. The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) compiled this handbook.
The Minister gave leadership to the programme on the reintegration of migrant workers, which is a field that has not been formally discussed in the region. Accordingly, at the Working Group Meeting of the three-day Colombo Process which was launched on the 12th, the Minister pointed out to the international representatives the importance of reintegration of migrant workers when they returned to their home country.
The Minister highlighted the importance of formulating a Knowledge Forum to discuss the challenges and opportunities of supporting the sustainable reintegration of migrant workers. Accordingly, it was decided to establish a Knowledge Forum.
In addition, three themes were discussed at the meeting. Evaluation of Skills and Qualifications, Cost-effective, Fast and Secure Exchange of Remittances, and Fair and Ethical Recruitment Practices were the three themes that were discussed.
This allowed for the reflection of cooperation between the three thematic areas and provided the opportunity to share best practices among Member States and observers, including non-state actors. The three thematic areas were chaired by the Governments of Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Accordingly, the Minister pointed out to the representatives of Pakistan and Bangladesh who joined this meeting that the reintegration of migrant workers is of paramount importance. The Minister also said that this manual, which was introduced by Sri Lanka for the first time in the world, has the potential to be used to reintegrate migrant workers in other countries as well.
The Minister also took steps to inform the international representatives who joined the Colombo Process about the steps taken by Sri Lanka to reintegrate migrant workers. The Minister said that Sri Lanka is ready to share its experiences in reintegrating migrant workers.
