Philippine News Agency, Philippines, 21 July 2021 - Openly denouncing the Kafala system and pioneering the adoption of Global Compact for Migration (GCM) proved that the country has been a leader in advocating migrants' rights in the international arena.
Free Malaysia Today, Malaysia, 21 July 2021 - Hundreds of foreign workers are stranded at KL International Airport (KLIA) while waiting for their applications to go home to be processed by the Immigration Department.
The Kathmandu Post, Nepal, 20 July 2021 - In a last minute change of plans, the Ministry of Health and Population on Monday started administering the single-shot Janssen vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson to migrant workers. The decision comes as some relief to the foreign employment sector, which has been hard hit by the pandemic.
Pinsent Masons, Singapore, 20 July 2021 - The construction, marine and process (CMP) sectors have started bringing in migrant workers from India under a pilot programme to ease the labour crunch.
The Irrawaddy, Thailand, 20 July 2021 - More than 600 COVID-19 cases were reported this month in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and a non-governmental organization estimates that migrant workers from Myanmar account for some 30 percent of infections.
The Straits Times, Singapore, 20 July 2021 - Plans have been announced to launch pilot programmes to bring in workers from India for the construction, marine and process sectors (Migrant workers from India to be brought in, but in small numbers, July 8) and migrant domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia (Pilot scheme to bring more maids to Singapore starts this month, July 15).
Bangkok Post, Maldives, 19 July 2021 - The deadly Delta variant is surging globally, and it is two years since I saw my wife, two children and parents in Bangladesh. I last visited them before Covid-19. Seeing my family again seems out of the question for years to come. This sad story is repeated for millions who are working abroad.
The Daily Star, Bangladesh, 19 July 2021 - At least 1,160 Bangladeshi returnee migrants each incurred an average loss of about $2,119, or Tk 1.8 lakh, in wages and other entitlements in six Gulf countries amid the pandemic, according to a new survey report.
Channel News Asia, Singapore, 19 July 2021 - While the vast majority of the Singapore population has been experiencing many twists and turns over the past 15 months, as community restrictions get tightened or loosened in tandem with the pandemic situation, not much has changed for the 275,000-odd migrant workers living in dormitories.
Phil Star Global, Philippines, 19 July 2021 - The Department of Foreign Affairs has now repatriated a total of 3,000 distressed Filipinos from the United Arab Emirates, following the arrival of its seventh special chartered flight from the UAE since the start of the pandemic.
Relief Web, Indonesia, 19 July 2021 - As COVID-19 cases surge in Thailand and Malaysia, as well as elsewhere in the region, Southeast Asian lawmakers urge these governments to take more inclusive measures to protect everyone without discrimination, regardless of their migration status, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said today.
Khmer Times, Cambodia, 19 July 2021 - A 30-year-old Covid-19 patient, a Cambodian worker from Thailand, escaped from the Kob High School quarantine centre in Malai District, Banteay Meanchey Province on July 16.
New Straits Times, Maldives, 18 July 2021 - The deadly Delta variant is surging globally, and it is two years since I saw my wife, two children and parents in Bangladesh. I last visited them before Covid-19.
The Daily Star, Bangladesh, 18 July 2021 - There is no doubt that, for Bangladesh, our migrant workers are one of the largest contributors to the economy, leaving their families and friends behind in their homeland to pursue a dream of economic prosperity abroad and sending back the necessary funds to keep not only their families but the economy going at full force. In fact, even during the pandemic, our migrant workers have continued to provide a much-needed boost to the economy, and their contributions in this regard have surpassed all expectations, increasing over time. However, the effects of the pandemic are beginning to show, with stagnancy in economic growth just around the corner if more workers seeking opportunities abroad are not allowed to do so, especially at a time when countries are enforcing restrictions based on vaccination status.
Observer Research Foundation, India, 17 July 2021 - On 28 June, the Supreme Court (SC) delivered a significant judgment in dealing with the plight of migrant labourers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking suo motu cognizance of the delay in implementation of “One Nation One Card” scheme depriving millions of migrant workers critical access to welfare measures, the SC called this the government’s “apathy and lackadaisical attitude” towards creating a national database for unorganised workers. The bench directed states that had not yet compiled the database to complete the task by 31 July 2021. It may be recalled that the Supreme Court in its previous order in May 2020 had directed the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment to announce the establishment of a National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW).
