In partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) conducted a two-day national training workshop on “Trade Union Training on Rights-based Approach to Labour Migration.”
The workshop, which was held from 22nd to 23rd September 2018 in Mogadishu, was attended by 22 participants from the twelve (12) affiliated sector-unions of FESTU. The workshop was co-facilitated by the staff of the ILO and IOM.
The workshop helped to build and strengthen the capacities of Somali trade unions to better understand the plight of migrant workers and the need for trade unions’ robust actions and strategies within the frameworks of the Decent Work Agenda and Sustainable Development Agenda (SDGs).
Sessions dealt with the ILO Fair Migration Agenda and Decent Work approach to migration; global overview, issues, challenges and key figures of labour migration; ILO Standards and Policy Frameworks; unionization, mobilization and social Dialogue as key strategies for the protection of migrant workers. The participants in the end developed and agreed a time-bound Action Plan on rights-based approach to fair migration agenda to inform the work of FESTU Secretariat.
The workshop emphasized the role of trade unions in protecting both national and migrant workers in the country. The importance of reinforcing union-union collaboration and partnerships with other like-minded non-state actors aimed at improving the protection of migrant workers was also stressed.
