The Government of the Republic of Indonesia implements a Welcoming Programme for Indonesian migrant workers through its Consulate in Hong Kong (China) and through the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) in Taipei, Taiwan (China). This is part of the government’s strategy to disseminate information about life and work abroad. In 2007, attendance to the Welcoming Program for newly arrived workers was made mandatory with recruitment agencies being required to ensure the participation of migrant workers. In Hong Kong (China), the Consulate is provided with a list of new arrivals and follows up with agencies are made if any workers do not attend. The Welcoming Programme informs workers about their rights and obligations while living in Hong Kong (China) and Taiwan (China) on topics including the culture of Hong Kong (China) employers, what employers should not expect of domestic workers. Through the use of videos, workers are informed on how Hong Kong (China) and Taiwan (China) institutions can assist them with problems such as employers who refuse to pay wages. As part of the Programme, Indonesian officials inform workers on what services or assistance they can expect the Consulate and Hong Kong (China) employment companies as well as the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry can provide them. In addition, the Indonesian Consulate in Hong Kong (China) also provides language classes as well as an entrepreneurial course to provide migrant workers with a set of skills that would benefit them when they return to and follows up with agencies are made if any workers do not attend
In order to help themselves and others and to enjoy their rights, migrants need access to identity documents, basic public services, and financial and other resources. Migrants’ ability to help themselves and enjoy their rights can be undermined by factors related to their entry and stay, means of arrival, connections to local populations, and conditions in the host State, including in workplaces. These factors can in turn undermine emergency response and recovery efforts.
States, private sector actors, international organizations, and civil society can promote migrants’ resilience and empower migrants to help themselves during and after a crisis by addressing underlying conditions of vulnerability. Respecting, protecting, and fulfilling migrants' human and labor rights in ordinary times advance these goals as do efforts to ensure migrants are able to access information, basic services, and administrative, judicial, and other redress mechanisms.
Legal, policy, and operational factors that constrain protection should be addressed. Examples of obstacles include laws, policies, and practical barriers that arbitrarily restrict the movement of migrants, enable arbitrary detention, discriminate between migrants and citizens in the provision of humanitarian assistance, or permit exploitative employment or recruitment practices.
In times of crisis, fear of immigration enforcement can inhibit migrants, particularly those in an irregular immigration status, from accessing necessary help. In this context, it is important to separate immigration enforcement actions from those that promote migrants’ access to services, humanitarian assistance, identity documents, and movement.
Stakeholders can provide migrants—prior to departure from the State of origin, upon arrival in the host State, and during their stay in the host State—with pertinent information related to country-specific conflict or natural disaster hotspots, rights and potential rights violations or abuses, ways to access timely, credible, and regular information, emergency contact points, and what to do and where to go in the event of a crisis. Building migrants’ skills to communicate in the host-State language and increasing migrants’ financial literacy may prompt migrants to invest in savings, take out micro-insurance, and better prepare for navigating unforeseen circumstances.
Sample Practices
- Pre-departure and post-arrival training for migrants that includes crisis-related information.
- Positive communication about migrants, including through migrant role models and campaigns to promote tolerance, non-discrimination, inclusiveness, and respect.
- Financial products, including micro-insurance, savings accounts, and fast-cash loans that target migrants’ needs, including low-income migrants.
- Measures that respect, protect, and fulfill migrants’ human and labor rights, including addressing barriers that inhibit migrants’ ability to enjoy their rights.
- Identity cards for migrants in an irregular immigration status to promote their access to services.
- Ethical recruitment processes and accreditation, and integrity certification schemes.
- Community-based alternatives to detention for migrants.