UAE | Employment
Lack of data hits labour welfare plans
The lack of accurate and adequate information on the labour market was identified as a major roadblock ahead of pursuing labour welfare measures at a conference on Monday.
- By Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:54 January 22, 2008
- Image Credit: Ahmed Kutty/Gulf News
- Abdul Gani (centre) addressing the press along with other officials.
Abu Dhabi: The lack of accurate and adequate information on the labour market was identified as a major roadblock ahead of pursuing labour welfare measures at a conference on Monday.
The Ministerial Consultations on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin in Asia: The Abu Dhabi Dialogue began on Monday.
Speaking to Gulf News, Jean Philippe Chauzy, the spokesperson for International Organisation of Migration (IOM) termed the information available at present as 'fragmented and incompatible'.
"In general, the first hurdle we usually face while formulating migration related policies is the lack of information. There is some information, but we need it to be consistent to help us formulate policies and work on issues," Chauzy noted.
"Information is crucial to get a better overview of the entire labour market. During yesterday's session, participant countries discussed the need to increase the knowledge database in the area of labour mobility.
"Understanding labour market trends, skill profiles etc would be an outcome of adequate information. Better cooperation between countries is necessary for this," he said.
"Collecting more information would also mean that nations would be able to better match supply and demand of labour in the market," Chauzy said, adding that this is beneficial for labour sending and receiving countries.
Participant nations are discussing the setting up of information centres, said Yousuf Abdul Gani, Assistant Undersecretary of UAE Ministry of Labour.
"We are contemplating on setting up information centres soon. This would address the concerns raised by many delegates," he told Gulf News.
"The ministry would consider setting up of a centre using the latest technology in a fast track way", Abdul Gani said, without giving a specific timeline for the execution of such a project.
"A common source for labour related information and statistics would benefit all countries involved," added Ruhunage L. K, the Deputy General Manager of Foreign Employment in Sri Lanka.
Discussion: Common ground
Labour rights and welfare takes centre stage as the "Ministerial Consultations on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin in Asia: The Abu Dhabi Dialogue" began yesterday morning.
Senior officials from labour sending and receiving countries sat down to identify common areas of interest, which would form the base for today's ministerial meeting. The high level meeting today will conclude with the Abu Dhabi Declaration.
"Abu Dhabi Dialogue is the beginning of a better cooperation between countries, of labour origin and destination, to ensure welfare of workers as well as nations involved", Yousuf Abdul Gani, Assistant Undersecretary of Ministry of Labour.
"We discussed the entire contractual cycle from recruitment, to moving into the host country, to work environment to eventually going back to the country of origin. Challenges and opportunities were identified and it was accepted that there are issues that need to be dealt with", he said.
By Marten YoussefStaff Reporter
Abu Dhabi After all day briefings among 22 nations, the Abu Dhabi consultation on labour steered away from the specific issues like the six-year cap on non-skilled workers and the issue of Kafala and focused on broader cooperation among sending and receiving countries of contractual workers.
"This conference is not about the six-year cap. That is a GCC issue. This conference we have a broader community and include countries like Korea and Indonesia that have nothing to do with the six-year cap," Ministry of Labour, assistant undersecretary, Yousuf Abdul Gani said.
The conference, consisting of both sending countries like Sri Lanka and receiving countries like the UAE and Kuwait, is the first of its kind in the UAE and is being praised by the International Organisation for Migration as a forward step to addressing the growing concern of workers.
Director of IOM, the Switzerland-based lobby group, Gervais Appave, says this conference is not meant to address all the issues but to encourage dialogue between the stakeholders.
"You know, we are not going to get anywhere if we get bogged down by meticulous details. Although the details are very important, the main focus is the spirit of cooperation between both countries. And this is exactly what we are seeing."
While news reports surrounding the UAE backing of a six-year cap has been imminent since the Saudi meeting of the GCC labour ministers last October, the delegations at the Abu Dhabi consultation are ignoring this issue and the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UAE says this is an important issue.
"In my opinion, the six-year cap is a significant matter that should not be left out. It affects more than the UAE and the GCC. It affects us as well," Ambassador Mohammad Junaid said. Speaking on the six-year cap issue, Roosti Awati, assistant director of the International Cooperation affairs in Indonesia, which is a major source of labourers to the UAE said, "It only makes sense that unskilled workers have to return home to their country after they serve their contract."
Forum: Combined policies
The Ministry of Labour will open the two-day Gulf Forum on Temporary Contractual Labour tomorrow at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
The event is co-organised by the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs in association with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Arab Labour Organisation (ALO), and International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
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