The plight of migrant workers and how their rights and dignity can be protected in the State were deliberated at a workshop organised by Caritas-Goa in collaboration with the Goa Institute of Management.
The workshop on ‘State of Migrant Workers in Goa: the Road Ahead’ was part of the Pravasi Bandhu, an inter-state programme developed by Caritas India covering eight source and destination states concerning internal migration of workers.
The commissioner and senior staff of Department of Labour, senior doctors from Directorate of Health Services, senior staff of the Civil Supplies Department, Director, Caritas Goa and senior faculty, students of GIM and a number of migrants from different sectors were present at the workshop.
STATUS
Prof Kingshuk Sarkar from the Goa Institute of Management (GIM) said interstate migrant workers most often are vulnerable populations facing exploitation and loss of human rights because of lack of protective mechanisms during migration and at the destination.
“Although migrant workers play a crucial role in Goa’s economy, they often face numerous challenges, including low wages, poor working conditions, limited social protection, and lack of access to essential services,” he said.
Prof Sarkar further stated that scarcity of local labourers and unwillingness of native Goans to do menial jobs accounts for the significant labour gap as labour demand far exceeds the indigenous labour supply.
“In such a situation, the migrant workers form the backbone of several economic sectors, including construction, infrastructure, fishing, hospitality, domestic work, and agriculture. The exodus of workers during the lockdown was a reality check into the dependence of the Goan economy on these workers. Yet, State apathy towards the working and living conditions of interstate workers continues.”
POLICY
Feliza Goes, Coordinator of Pravasi Bandhu, presented the draft policy framework proposing a new paradigm, with a focus on improvement of interstate migrant workers working and living situations, and the promotion and protection of their rights.
Goes shared that the framework suggests creation of a stable and regulated environment allowing for the industry to flourish having both preventive and protective measures through the involvement of the local community and civil society groups in collaboration with the Government for swift resolutions and greater sustainability.
“The framework insists on the primacy of human rights at the core of all interstate migrant workers’ rights,” Goes stated.
“Most often the rule of law is not applicable to interstate migrant workers as they are treated as secondary, disposable, and dispensable. The framework of the policy recognises the person’s right to migrate or not, as migration is an integrated fact requiring multi-disciplinary and multi-lateral treatment.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
Some key recommendations proposed to improve the conditions of migrant workers in Goa and ensure their well-being included effective implementation and enforcement of existing labour laws, a database of migrant workers and measures to regulate and monitor labour camps.
Ensuring compliance with minimum standards of hygiene, safety, and living conditions, providing incentives and support to businesses for registration and compliance with labour laws, awareness campaigns to educate migrant workers about their rights, entitlements and available support services, and establishing platforms for dialogue and consultation with migrant worker representatives to understand their concerns and incorporate their perspectives in policy formulation were other recommendations.
Members at the workshop felt that by implementing recommendations outlined in the policy framework, Goa can create an enabling environment that promotes the rights, well-being, and dignity of migrant workers, contributing to their socio-economic upliftment and the overall development of the country.