Facing challenges such as discrimination, violence, labour exploitation, lack of access to decent work, and major social and economic disruptions in the country and globally, Filipino women and migrant workers are finding stronger partners and strategic opportunities through the Safe and Fair (SAF) program’s initiatives aimed at creating gender-responsive migration policies, governance and safer labor migration conditions from recruitment, to working abroad and until return and reintegration.
The SAF program is a regional initiative under the multi-year European Union-United Nations Spotlight Initiative which has invested 500 million euros in projects throughout the globe to eliminate violence against women and girls.
It is implemented through the joint efforts of the International Labor Organization (ILO), UN Women, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) – dedicated to enhancing the labor migration experience for Filipino women.
“Throughout its 5-year implementation, ‘Safe and Fair’ embodies a commitment to transforming the migration journey into a safer, more dignified, and empowering experience for Filipino women,” said Rex Varona, National Project Coordinator of the Safe and Fair Program.
Christoph Wagner, Head of Cooperation of the European Union Delegation to the Philippines added: “The EU is proud to have joined forces with the UN in a pioneer effort to combat violence against women and girls globally through the Spotlight Initiative. Women OFWs are particularly vulnerable to a series of risks and the EU-UN Safe and Fair program was designed to address many of those risks.”
The program conducted legal and policy reforms, capacity building, and awareness-raising to respond to the critical issues faced by migrant women such as violence and discrimination, inefficient migration governance, and inaccessible services.
Varona said that “by placing women’s voice, choice, and agency at the heart of our strategies, activities, and services, we are setting a new standard for labour migration.”
According to Lenlen Mesina, Country Coordinator of UN Women, the 5-year program has been supporting and promoting women migrant’s safe and fair migration in the context of transitions facing and recovering from the pandemic, administration leadership, and the disasters on a constant basis.
“UN Women is very pleased to see how policies at global to national level have been adapted and localized, but the completion of this project is something we also hope to sustain when it comes to key actions and promoting consistent implementation of policies and provision of important services needed by women anywhere, they are,” she added.
Since 2019, SAF worked in partnership with the Technical Working Group on C190, as well as the key government departments and tripartite partners in advocating for the ratification of ILO Convention 190, the first international treaty to recognize the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment.
The Senate recently concurred with the ratification of C190 after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s endorsement – making the Philippines the first country in Asia to ratify C190.
“This is an important milestone for women and Filipino migrant workers. The C190’s policies will cover any physical, social, emotional, verbal, and even online harassment, and as long as it constitutes any form of violence in the workplace, regardless of your worker status,” Varona shared.
