STREAM - Extending Social Protection to Migrant Workers in the South Asia – Gulf Corridor
Social protection (SP) is a fundamental human right, as well as a key enabler of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This innovative flagship programme provides migrant workers from South Asia in the Gulf with access to health care, work injury benefits, unemployment insurance, maternity protection and end of service indemnities. It strengthens SP schemes of countries of origin and destination as well as dialogue and coordination in the South Asia – Gulf migration corridor.
| Land/Region | Thema | Periode | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Weltweit |
Migration und Entwicklung
Arbeitsmigration
|
01.05.2023
- 30.11.2028 |
CHF 6’990’000
|
- Policy reforms for migrant inclusive and gender equal SP systems across the South-Asian-Gulf corridor are accelerated.
- Migrant workers' effective access to existing and new SP provisions is enhanced, including for domestic workers.
- Dialogue and coordination between GCC and South Asian countries on the SP for migrant workers is strengthened with fair representation of women.
- A new evidence base shapes the public discourse on the SP for migrant workers across the South-Asian-Gulf corridor.
- Technical assistance (TA) and capacity-building is provided to relevant stakeholders in support of i.) SP reforms in GCC and ii.) reforms of unilateral measures and SP strategies in South Asia, iii.) to improve administrative procedures.
- Case management system is built through multi-stakeholder networks that assist migrants to claim their SP rights including legal support in case of issues encountered.
- Innovative digital solutions are developed and a network of employers established that promotes adoption of good SP practices
- Mechanisms and tools for coordination and platforms for dialogue and advocacy on SP rights are strengthened.
- Research is used to boost advocacy and evidence-based decision making across the corridor.
- Partnerships with civil society organizations are established that advocate for the extension of SP benefits.
- Technical assistance provided to the SP reform in Oman lead to the extension of employment injury, sickness, and maternity leave to migrant workers.
- Sustain the momentum with policy reforms while focusing on the effective de facto access to SP (2) Work along the corridor in order to guarantee the full enjoyment of benefits in both destination and origin countries
- Internationale Arbeitsorganisation
- Ausländischer Privatsektor Norden
- Schweizerischer Privatsektor
-
Sektor nach Kategorisierung des Entwicklungshilfeekomitees der OECD REGIERUNG UND ZIVILGESELLSCHAFT
Sub-Sektor nach Kategorisierung des Entwicklungshilfeekomitees der OECD Ermöglichung der geregelten, sicheren und verantwortungsvollen Migration und Mobilität
Querschnittsthemen Menschenrechte
Unterstützungsform Gemeinschafts-/Sammelfinanzierungen
Auftrag mit treuhänderischer Mittelverwaltung
Projektnummer 7F11156
| Hintergrund | Switzerland’s IC Strategy 2025-28 considers migration a priority topic and is committed to promote the productive potential of regular migration, while addressing challenges related to unsafe migration such as inequality, exclusion and vulnerability. The Gulf cooperation states are dependent on labour migration - an average of 70% of the workforce are foreign workers. Their economies rely heavily on the contribution of the 2.4 million migrant workers from South and Southeast Asia. Trapped in low-wage occupations with temporary contracts, migrant workers face severe decent work deficits, including denied access to SP benefits in countries of destination, but also when returning home. SP exclusion is not only a violation of human rights; it also has socio-economic repercussions on migrants, their families and society as a whole, decreasing their resilience to shocks and work transitions. Unprotected migrant workers are more likely to be living in poverty and less likely to send remittances to their home countries. This reduces prospects for socio-economic development in the GCC and South Asia. GCC countries have started to reform their labour market policies (e.g., Qatar), increase the inclusiveness of SP systems (e.g., Oman) or create health insurance requirements for migrant workers (UAE). Origin countries have reacted with migrant welfare funds and other unilateral measures. There is a momentum to accelerate policy reform and implementation, ensure coherence and increase effective access for migrant workers to SP along their life cycles and migration corridor. By doing so, migrants’ resilience to shocks and their contribution to prosperity in both, country of origin and destination, will be increased. |
| Ziele | Migrant workers and their families in selected South Asian-Gulf migration corridors have increased access to gender-sensitive SP, strengthening their protection, wellbeing, shock resilience and thus unlocking the development potential of their migration journey. |
| Zielgruppen | are low-income migrant workers and their families who are excluded from SP schemes in the GCC as well as in their origin countries in South Asia. |
| Mittelfristige Wirkungen |
|
| Resultate |
Erwartete Resultate: Resultate von früheren Phasen: Lessons learned from the co-creation process: |
| Verantwortliche Direktion/Bundesamt |
DEZA |
| Projektpartner |
Vertragspartner Privatsektor Organisation der Vereinten Nationen (UNO) Umsetzungspartner
International Labour Organization (ILO)
|
| Koordination mit anderen Projekten und Akteuren | FAIRWAY, SDC’s bilateral migration programs in Nepal (MiriDew) and Bangladesh, ILO decent work country programs in South Asia, ILO cooperation programs in the GCC; Ford Foundation and the EU; Migrant Forum Asia |
| Budget | Laufende Phase Schweizer Beitrag CHF 6’990’000 Bereits ausgegebenes Schweizer Budget CHF 3’331’045 Projekttotal seit Anfangsphase Schweizer Beitrag CHF 131’045 Budget inklusive Projektpartner CHF 24’000’000 |
| Projektphasen | Phase 1 01.05.2023 - 30.11.2028 (Laufende Phase) |
