SEANF Paper on Migrant Workers • • • • • • Urge a serious political commitment to immediately pass legislation to bring domestic work under the formal definition of employment in the labour laws. Establish and actively implement effective safeguard mechanisms for monitoring of efforts to promote and protect the human rights of migrant workers at all stages of the migration process. Establish greater coordination and accountability of the government agencies overseeing migration. Expand the personnel and support provided to Embassy officers handling migrant protection duties, including establishing shelters for migrants in distress in destination countries. Adopt mechanisms to ensure employment, business opportunities and family and community reintegration programs for returning migrant workers. Reform the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Omnibus Policies. Thailand • • • • • • • 8 Ensure laws and policies on migrant workers are in compliance with ILO and UN human rights standards. Positively respond to request for the official visit of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants. Review the provincial declarations severely restricting the rights of migrant workers. Ensure migrant workers’ right to movement and give more flexibility for migrant workers concerning the requirement that they must report the change of employers within 7 days. Provide guarantees for migrant workers to access the judicial process to seek legal and financial redress. Review articles 88 and 100 of the Labour Relations Act 1975 related to restrictions on migrant workers’ rights to establish trade unions and serve as elected union leaders. Support the creation and operation of “social networks” of migrant worker organizations or associations that enable migrant workers to protect themselves.