Addis Ababa, November 24 (Prensa Latina) The International Labor Organization (ILO) is promoting a dialogue between African and Middle Eastern countries to protect the labor rights of African migrants in this Asian region, it was reported today.
“We want to organize a platform for the countries of the two regions early next year to exchange approaches and set standards that guarantee stable and decent jobs for migrants,” said Alexio Musindo, director of the ILO’s Ethiopia office.
Often, he explained, many citizens find temporary, poorly paid and unprotected jobs, leaving them in situations of great vulnerability that need to be resolved through collegial arrangements.
For example, women monopolize almost all services, some of which are illegal, to provide elder care, childcare and domestic chores, and they are very often victims of abuse and exploitation in Middle Eastern countries, he added.
Almost all member states of IGAD (Intergovernmental Agency for East African Development) have workers in the Gulf states and some are relatively wealthy, but many live in poor conditions, he said in an interview with Fana Broadcasting Corporate.
The establishment of the platform will help protect emigrants, starting with promoting safe migration. I think that’s a nice idea on a continental scale because it would help Africa unite, he said.
According to the ILO office, Middle East countries have become important destinations for workers from African countries, particularly Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda.
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