Migrant workers: The Invisible workers

Why in News ? In recent fire in Kuwait   around 49 deaths have been reported and at least 50 people have been injured. Among the deceased, 42 were reportedly Indians and 24 of them were from Kerala. The cause of fire is still not confirmed

• This incident has once again brought attention to the lack of safety and deplorable living conditions of migrants in destination countries.

Other similar accidents:

• Two years ago, during the football World Cup in Qatar, there were several news reports about rising migrant deaths, harsh working conditions and severe violations of human rights.
• There was similar media coverage during the Dubai Expo, which saw the massive involvement of migrant workers to ensure the rapid development of infrastructure. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia reported that migrants constituted 75 per cent of the total people who tested positive for the virus as of May 2020.
• The dingy living spaces and cramped dormitories were noted as a major reason for the virus’s rapid spread among the migrant community.
• The Kerala Migration Survey (KMS) 2023 estimates that 2 million people from the state have migrated, with 80 per cent of them residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Challenges:

• The majority of these migrants work in the unorganised sector, such as construction sites and factories, where they often face dangerous working conditions.
• Lack of permanent residency
• They are not adequately protected and have few rights
• Exploitative labour conditions
• Lack of data on migrants
• The lack of clarity and uniformity in data available from different agencies

Need of the Hour:

Improved Data Collection: Establish a national migration database to better understand and address the needs of Indian migrants.

Enhanced Safety Measures: Implement policies ensuring safe living and working conditions for migrants in destination countries.

International Cooperation: Strengthen international cooperation and ensure agreements with destination countries are effectively utilised to safeguard migrants.

Focus on Human Aspect: Shift the perspective from seeing migrants merely as remittance sources to acknowledging their human rights and safety needs.