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National Roundtable for Implementing Partners | 12 July 2016 | Bangkok
12 July , 2016
Partners call for greater collaboration to tackle vulnerabilities of migrant workers
The roundtable brought together 30 representatives from four partner implementing CSOs, Thai and Viet Nam Red Cross Societies, European Union, Migrant Forum Asia, International Labour Organisation, International Organisation for Migration and UN Women.
In his opening remarks Marwan Jilani, Head of IFRC CCST reminded the audience that despite the positive contribution of migrants to the development, they are often locked out from the protection mechanisms and access to health, education and social services that respect their basic needs and dignity. He continued by saying that “responding to the needs and vulnerabilities of migrants in today’s complex global context is not a simple challenge and thus the effectiveness of our efforts largely depends on working together in partnership”.
The morning session focused on presentations from the CSOs who shared their progress, implementation challenges and plans ahead. To encourage exchange and linking of experiences, each presentation followed by in-depth discussions facilitated by the representatives from the participating CSOs.During the breakout session in the afternoon, participants reviewed the findings of the capacity assessment exercise and agreed on the key components of the training plan, that in addition to online and face-to-face opportunities also envisages exchange visits amongst Thai-based implementing CSOs.
Before concluding, IFRC reiterated its profound appreciation to all partners for their efficient and dedicated efforts under the “Rights of Migrants in Action” initiative. The meeting ended on a positive note of commitment to seek greater cooperation in advancing the migrants’ rights agenda and more importantly – in changing the negative perceptions associated with migration and ensuring it is instead viewed as an opportunity for our interconnected world.
Objective of the National Roundtable
The overall objective of the inaugural national roundtable is to provide a platform for promoting dialogue and building stronger cooperation amongst partner implementing civil society organisations in Thailand with a view to ensure cross-fertilization of project’s results across the country and their longer-term sustainability. The event will also allow for exploring opportunities for greater engagement among the Red Cross, regional migration networks and the State.
Specific objectives of the national roundtable include the following :
- To share progress, experiences, lessons learned, and challenges encountered during the project implementation in 2016.
- To explore synergies and identify actions for peer-to-peer support and greater collaboration between the implementing CSOs, the Red Cross and other stakeholders.
- To contribute to the civil society consultations in the preparations for the Global Forum on Migration and Development to be held in Bangladesh in December 2016.
- To review the findings of the capacity assessment exercise and to agree on a training work plan.
