Echoing through the corridors of policy and progress, the International Labor Organization (ILO) release heralded the alliance as an extension of a profound partnership, dedicated to crafting a gender-responsive and inclusive policy framework. This framework stands as a platform, ensuring the seamless reintegration of migrant workers into the fabric of society and perpetuating their indispensable role in the nation’s growth and development.
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Amidst a symphony of collaboration and commitment, Bangladesh and Switzerland orchestrated a monumental crescendo in the realm of migrant worker reintegration on May 19, 2024. Joined by the esteemed ILO, these governments unfurled a new chapter in sustainable reintegration for returnee migrant workers, igniting a beacon of hope for inclusivity and empowerment.
Project Overview:
- Project Name: Reintegration for Migrant Workers Project: Enhancing Policies, Capacities, and Systems for Inclusive and Sustainable Reintegration
- Implementation Partners: International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), Parliamentary Caucus on Migration and Development
- Objective: Enhancing Policies, Capacities, and Systems for Inclusive and Sustainable Reintegration
- Signed in December 2023 with the Bangladesh government.
A Cornerstone Project for Returnee Migrant Workers
Enshrined in ink in December 2023, this project emerges as a cornerstone in the edifice of reintegration, aspiring to fortify the journey of returnee migrant workers. Its essence lies in the establishment of robust institutions and an agile coordination mechanism, poised to furnish employment and foster business development opportunities for these resilient souls.
“The contribution of this project transcends mere significance; it is the very essence of transformation,” remarked Md Saiful Haque Chowdhury, the additional secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
In a fervent ode to visionary leadership, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury, lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her foresight and stewardship in safeguarding the welfare of migrant workers. He also expressed gratitude to the ILO and Switzerland for their collaboration, which aims to engage diverse stakeholders to achieve its objectives.
The project, named “Reintegration for Migrant Workers Project: Enhancing Policies, Capacities, and Systems for Inclusive and Sustainable Reintegration,” will be implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and the Parliamentary Caucus on Migration and Development.
Corinne Henchoz Pignani, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland highlighted Switzerland’s ongoing commitment: “Switzerland has been working with Bangladesh to design the labor migration policy framework for the past 14 years, and we are pleased with this enduring partnership.”
In the post-COVID era, Bangladesh emerged as the leading Asian country for sending migrant workers in 2021 and 2022, with over one million overseas deployments in 2022. Migrant remittances contribute approximately 40% to the country’s export earnings, second only to the readymade garment (RMG) sector.
This project aims to empower returning Bangladeshi migrant workers, enabling them to effectively utilize and share the knowledge, skills, resources, networks, and capacities they gained abroad, thereby fostering national development.
Project to Utilize Migrant Workers’ Skills
The enduring collaboration between Switzerland and Bangladesh has been highlighted, with Switzerland supporting Bangladesh over the past fourteen years in shaping its labor migration policies. The project is expected to bolster policy and institutional frameworks, provide essential social protection for migrants, and establish clear pathways for utilizing migrant workers’ skills and experiences to enhance the country’s economy.
The significance of the ILO’s tripartite approach has been emphasized, particularly in strengthening national policies by integrating the voices of migrants through civil society organizations and grassroots experiences. Initiatives like this are seen as crucial for facilitating safe migration and sustainable reintegration.
The project launch and stakeholder networking event drew a diverse crowd, including parliamentarians, government officials, development partners, UN agencies, social partners, worker and employer organizations, private sector representatives, recruitment agents, civil society members, academia, and the media.
Building on a longstanding partnership, this initiative aims to establish gender-responsive and inclusive policy frameworks, bolstered by robust systems to ensure the sustainable reintegration of returning migrant workers, thereby continuing their contribution to national growth and development. Signed in December 2023 with the Bangladesh government, the project is designed to support returning migrant workers through institutions and a coordinated mechanism that provides comprehensive employment and business development support services.
Between 2011 and 2022, the ILO, in partnership with the Government of Switzerland and supported by the Bangladesh government, strengthened policy and institutional frameworks, promoted fair recruitment practices, and social protection, and upheld Bangladeshi workers’ rights during labor migration.
A Pledge for Sustainable Reintegration
The new project also seeks to strengthen connections between employers’ and workers’ organizations to enhance skills development and employment opportunities for returning migrant workers, while facilitating knowledge sharing to inform programming, policy, and practice in sustainable reintegration efforts. On the poignant occasion of International Migrants Day, annually commemorated on the 18th of December, a transformative project was sealed. This initiative aims to orchestrate a seamless integration for migrant workers returning to Bangladesh, harnessing their acquired skills and experiences to propel the nation’s economic advancement.
With an average of 650,000 individuals venturing abroad for work annually over the past decade, Bangladesh ascended to the apex of labor-exporting nations in Asia in 2021, with 617,000 departing for employment. This figure surged dramatically in 2022 to 1,136,000, underlining the profound impact of migrant labor. Their remittances stand as the nation’s second-largest revenue stream, trailing only the earnings from the thriving ready-made garment sector.
The envisaged reintegration endeavor pledges to furnish returning migrants with comprehensive access to employment and entrepreneurial support services. This holistic approach aims to ensure their sustained economic vitality within their respective communities. Corinne Henchoz Pignani, representing the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, solemnly bore witness to the pact, underscoring its global significance.
Tasked with execution, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, in collaboration with the ILO as the principal technical ally, endeavors to shepherd this transformative initiative. Supported by a consortium including the IOM, UN Women, and stakeholders from both labor and employer fronts, this alliance stands poised to redefine the trajectory of returning migrants, infusing their journey with hope, dignity, and opportunity.
