Evidence-based Knowledge on Labour Migration and Remittances for Policy Makers and Development Planners
LIFT will provide substantial support to build evidence-based information on labour migration and remittances to support policy making and developing planning.
In 2015, LIFT supported and launched the World Bank research study, A Country on the Move: Domestic Migration in Two Regions of Myanmar. More nuanced research results for the two regions studied, Magway and the Ayeyarwady, will be available by the end of 2016.
For 2016-2018, LIFT will support the “Migrating out of Poverty Consortium” comprised of IOM, the University of Sussex, and the Metta Foundation, to provide in-depth and representative research on migration patterns, trends and forecasts, and their implications to development. IOM and the University of Sussex will survey more than 3,200 households across Myanmar. The qualitative research will capture intra-household dynamics of migration decision making, resource allocation (including remittances), gender division of labour, recruitment processes, and the social impacts of migration. Key migration stakeholders—from the government, civil society organisations, the private sector, and the development community—will be strategically involved in evidence building through a consultative process.
An analysis on the laws, systems, and stakeholders that govern migration in Myanmar will take place. This will highlight the different roles and influence sphere of different actors, and will inform how and when stakeholders should be involved in the process of evidence generation, to build ownership for the findings.
Improved Internal and International Policies on Labour Migration
LIFT will support efforts to improve and design policies for international and national migrants. ILO is LIFTs primary implementing partner in this area.
The aim is to better protect international migrants with international employment standards, particularly related to recruitment processes, complaints mechanisms and a newly designed welfare system. ILO will work with the Migration Division of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MOLES) and update the Law Relating to Overseas Employment, which requires supplementary rules and regulations. Technical input will be provided for the National Plan of Action on Labour Migration and the Parliamentarian Group on Migration.
Internal migrants in Myanmar are, as yet, barely protected by law. It is critical to identify which needs exist and how they can be met. Equally important is to increase awareness and urgency among key stakeholders to formulate protective regulations. A particular focus is domestic workers, with the aim to ratify Convention189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers and the development of respective policies.
Beyond international and internal migrants, returning migrants need attention. A favourable environment with access to documentation and employment information can support successful re-integration.
