ASEAN reach consensus on protecting rights of migrant workers

ASEAN leaders at the signing ceremony of ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (Photo: VNA)

Manila (VNA) – Leaders of the ASEAN member countries have signed the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers after 10 years of negotiations.

The agreement was signed following the 31st ASEAN Summit and related meetings that concluded in Manila, the Philippines on November 14.

Through the document, the leaders committed to ensuring migrant workers enjoy all fundamental rights and interest, as well as their access to social welfare, justice and humanitarian treatment.

The consensus will serve as a guideline for operation of ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers, looking toward international standards applied in the ASEAN activities related to preserving and facilitating the rights of migrant workers, and further increasing the responsibility of states sending and receiving the labourers.

The signing of the deal showed strong efforts of the ASEAN in building a people-cored community.

Concluding the 31st ASEAN Summit and related meetings, the Philippines handed over the ASEAN Chair in 2018 to Singapore who announced the planned concentration of ASEAN cooperation for next year of “Embracing the future, towards a resilient and innovative ASEAN Community”.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Vietnamese delegation on November 14 left Manila for Hanoi, successfully concluding their Philippines visit to attend the 31st ASEAN Summit and related meetings.-VNA