‘Partnerships for development oriented labour migration’ (PAM) aims to implement developmentoriented migration models for training and employment. Strong partnerships between state, private sector, and civil society actors are intended to create added value for the countries of origin of trainees and skilled workers. The structures in the vocational training sector in the partner countries are to be strengthened and the recognition of migrants' qualifications and skills promoted.
This joint project seeks to improve migrant workers and refugees’ access to decent work and sustainable livelihoods by ensuring their employability, and access to employment opportunities and social protection programs implemented in Mexico City and Santiago. To that end, the project will design and support interventions that strengthen and articulate city services in both cities to provide an adequate response to populations on the move who are facing increased vulnerability. It will seek to create public-private synergies by engaging social actors and strengthening social dialogue.
IFAD launched the ‘Remittance Community Task Force’ with public and private stakeholders to come up with immediate measures to address the impact of COVID on remittances and in response to the call by the UN Secretary-General for global solidarity within the COVID-19 pandemic. This task force contributed to the discussion within the Financing for Development Process recently launched by the Prime Ministers of Canada and of Jamaica.
The Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI) is collaborating with IOM on labour mobility and human development, including employability of youth to enhance the welfare of Egyptian society and migrants.
The Philippines has set in place the ‘Developing the Global Filipino Programme’. Under this programme, a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Philippine Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh was executed to pilot an education training programme to equip, capacitate, and enhance the competencies of Filipino teachers in Cambodia to qualify them for better teaching career positions.
Established under the Urban Agenda for the European Union (EU), the Urban Partnership for the Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees brings together EU Member States, EU institutions, local authorities and civil society to contribute to develop integration policies related to different areas including education, the labour market and housing.
The UAE and India have developed the UAE-India Harmonized Framework for Skills Recognition and Certification designed to address the mismatch between workers’ skills and requirements of employers aims to improve skills mix in the UAE labour market and enhance the rate of mobility for certified workers, improving job security and reducing vulnerabilities. Employers in the UAE are incentivized to participate in the programme through reduced work permit fees.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the importance of making health services accessible to all and many Member States have decided to provide access to healthcare to all residents. Canada has updated pre-departure medical services for resettled refugees including testing and isolation and provided coverage for telemedical and virtual health services for beneficiaries of the Interim Federal Health Programme providing temporary health coverage for refugee claimants and other specific categories of migrants.
International initiatives such as the Call to Action: “Remittances in Crisis: How to Keep Them Flowing”, launched by Switzerland and the United Kingdom in May 2020, have also contributed to leveraging remittances and other migration-related financial flows to assist local COVID-19 response and recovery interventions.
As individuals and organizations in localities across the globe mobilize to support those displaced by war, conflict, and climate disasters, meeting immediate needs of migrants and refugees is critical. At the same time, building the infrastructure needed to support and engage migrants and broader communities in the long term is essential to ensure strong life outcomes beyond the initial welcoming period.