Bangkok, Thailand – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has established regional guidelines on the portability of social security benefits for migrant workers, a crucial step towards addressing the rights and welfare of migrant workers in the region.
The new guidelines, developed through collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), aim to ensure that migrant workers can continue to access social security benefits when moving within the ASEAN region. This is a significant achievement in the efforts to protect the rights of migrant workers and provide them with necessary support.
The issue of portability of social security benefits has been a longstanding concern for migrant workers, who often face challenges in accessing these benefits when they move to a different country within the region. The new guidelines seek to address this issue, ensuring that migrant workers are not disadvantaged when it comes to their social security entitlements.
The guidelines also emphasize the importance of cooperation between ASEAN member states, highlighting the need for mutual recognition of social security entitlements and the establishment of coordination mechanisms to facilitate the portability of benefits. This collaborative approach is essential in ensuring that migrant workers are able to access their social security benefits seamlessly, regardless of where they are working within the ASEAN region.
In addition to protecting the rights of migrant workers, the new guidelines are also expected to have broader implications for the ASEAN region as a whole. By promoting the portability of social security benefits, the guidelines contribute to the overall goal of creating a more integrated and inclusive regional community, where the rights and welfare of all workers are upheld.
The development of these regional guidelines marks a significant milestone in ASEAN’s efforts to address the challenges faced by migrant workers and to promote greater social and economic inclusion within the region. The guidelines are a testament to the commitment of ASEAN and its member states to safeguard the rights of migrant workers and create a more equitable and supportive environment for all workers in the region.