FAIRWAY - Interregional Programme to promote decent work for migrant workers from Africa to the Arab States
Decent work for low-income migrant workers in the Middle East is promoted, in sectors particularly prone to forced labor and exploitation, affecting increasingly African workers. Through improved services, access to justice and representation, migrant workers have their rights protected. Interregional and regional cooperation is promoted for improved labor migration governance and safe migration, thereby enhancing the development benefits for countries of origin and destination.
| Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Global |
Migration Gender
Labour migration
Migration generally (development aspects and partnerships) Women’s equality organisations and institutions |
01.09.2024
- 31.05.2028 |
CHF 5’200’000
|
- Inclusive rights-based dialogue at regional and interregional level contributes to improved policy coordination and implementation for decent work that recognises gender-specific needs and interests
- Institutional and non-institutional actors engage in approaches that address the root causes of gender-specific decent work deficits for migrant workers, including in the context of care work
- Protection and empowerment of migrant workers is enhanced through access to gender responsive services and stronger voice and representation
- Interregional and inclusive dialogue on labor migration is supported between Africa and the Arab States
- Common positions among African countries and engagement across Africa and Arab States migration corridor are promoted
- Decent work for women migrant workers is advocated in a coordinated way
- Gender-specific decent work deficits are addressed, including in the care sector
- Migrant Resource Centers and member-based organizations are capacitated to expand gender-responsive services
- Access to justice for migrant workers is facilitated in both Africa and the Arab States incl. through strategic litigation
- Migrant workers' rights better protected through first domestic workers member organizations in the Gulf, serving over 27'600 migrants. Service delivery and access to justice increased through 7 new Migrant resource centers in Uganda and Kenya
- Consular assistance received by 133,000 Ethiopian and compensations from unpaid wages for over USD 442,000 recovered
- Acknowledged contribution to reforms in GCC to reduce forced labor, towards the abolishment of the sponsorship/kafala system. Regulations on domestic workers and occupational safety and health adopted in Jordan and Bahrain
- First African Labor migration conference held in 2023. National policy and legal frameworks improved in Nigeria and Kenya
- Inter-regional dialogue on labor migration launched in 2021, emerging into the Doha Dialogue process led by Qatar and the African Union in 2024
- International Labor Organization
- Foreign private sector North
-
Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation Facilitation of orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility
Facilitation of orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility
Women's equality organisations and institutions
Cross-cutting topics Conflict reduction
The project also supports partner organisation improvements
Aid Type Mandate without fiduciary fund
Project and programme contribution
Project number 7F10304
| Background | The 2030 Agenda recognizes migration as key factor for development, with important commitments relating to labor migration and decent work. Switzerland has a long-standing track record in the promotion of both. Its engagement along migration corridors, promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration, using a human rights-based approach are unique value propositions. The Middle East is one of the main destination regions globally for migrant workers, with substantial increase in numbers in recent years. More than 30 million labor migrants are residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), where they constitute around 70 percent of the labor force, especially in low-income sectors of construction, domestic work and the care economy. Whereas South Asian countries of origin have made inroads in demanding better working conditions and protect migrants, African countries are still in the early stages of developing adapted protection measures. Access to decent work opportunities is vital to African men and women migrant workers, to ensure sustainable incomes, increase their self-reliance and higher their contribution to the development of their countries of origin and destination. |
| Objectives | African and other migrant workers in vulnerable situations in the Arab States benefit from fair and regular migration pathways with improved access to protection services, decent work opportunities and meaningful representation, both in countries of origin and destination. |
| Target groups | Migrant workers in vulnerable situations in sectors with considerable decent work deficits, focusing on African migrant workers. The East African Community, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the GCC Executive Bureau are main entry points for support to governments and enhanced regional cooperation. Trade unions and employers' organizations are targeted for migrant workers' effective protection. |
| Medium-term outcomes |
|
| Results |
Expected results: Results from previous phases: |
| Directorate/federal office responsible |
SDC |
| Project partners |
Contract partner Private sector United Nations Organization (UNO) |
| Coordination with other projects and actors | SDC's Labor migration portfolio (West Africa, Horn of Africa & Middle East), JLMP, FAIR III, IOM IRIS. WOGA Actors such as SECO decent work portfolio, SEM in Nigeria, ILO projects of the EU, NORAD, SIDA, FCDO, US DOL, Bahrain. |
| Budget | Current phase Swiss budget CHF 5’200’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF 1’620’000 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF 10’514’573 Budget inclusive project partner CHF 21’300’000 |
| Project phases | Phase 2 01.09.2024 - 31.05.2028 (Current phase) |
