Last week, we released a new brief, "Protecting Temporary Workers: Migrant Welfare Funds from Developing Countries." This note describes how countries of origin governments can play a major role in protecting their migrants abroad through migrant welfare funds. It shows that a welfare fund operated from the origin country and financed by migrants or their employers can offer a potential efficient solution to protecting migrants from vulnerable situations abroad. Protecting migrant workers through welfare funds also comes with some challenges: finding the right balance of services, creating meaningful partnerships, building accountability with its members, and involving destination countries.
The second meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development is now taking place in Manila from October 27th to the 30th. The theme of this year's forum is "Protecting and Empowering Migrants for Development." One of the topics of discussion will be on how governments can share the responsibility of protecting migrants. This topic begs the question on how governments can find ways of funding such activities.
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