Addressing the vulnerabilities of migrant workers in agriculture during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) has many different provisions applicable to migrant workers: from facilitation of “fair and ethical recruitment and safeguarding conditions that ensure decent work,” (Objective 6); to consular protection (Objective 14); investment in skills (Objective 14);and the establishment of “mechanisms for the portability of social security entitlements and earned benefits”. All these objectives, alongside others, have become stretched during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, this crisis has put in the spotlight the vital role migrants play in agri-food systems. Measures affecting the movement of people and resulting labour shortages are having impacts on agricultural value chains, affecting food availability and market prices globally. Many agricultural migrants continue working in indispensable services linked to the food sector, facing poor housing and working conditions, and are more likely to be exposed to occupational safety and health hazards. Large numbers of migrants work under informal or casual arrangements, leaving them unprotected, vulnerable to exploitation, poverty, and food insecurity, and often without access to healthcare, social protection, and the response measures put in place by governments.

Amidst this crisis, it is important to look at the measures that are being taken and the lessons learned to improve conditions for migrants working in agri-food systems during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, and give voice to the most vulnerable and high risk groups.

The session is co-organized by the United Nations Network on Migration Secretariat and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, further to its policy brief on Migrant workers and the COVID-19 pandemic. The session is expected to gather a variety of civil society organizations and trade unions.

The working language of this call will be English. However, colleagues of the Network Secretariat would be able to translate brief questions or interventions made in French or Spanish into English on the call. Please feel free to share this Concept Note with relevant civil society and stakeholder representatives at the regional and national levels and international organizations – all of whom are welcome to join. For more details on the modalities of this exercise please consult the Guidelines for UN Network on Migration’s Online Series on COVID-19 and Migration.

The purpose of this listening sessions is to bring together civil society, trade unions and other stakeholders to look at the measures that are being taken and the lesson learned to improve conditions for migrants working in agri-food systems during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and give voice to the most vulnerable and high risk sub-groups.

The moderated discussion will be led by lead discussants each of whom will suggest three or four main lines of inquiry or reflection. These will then be followed by an open conversation.

• Welcome remarks: Monami Maulik, UN Network on Migration Secretariat
• Introduction to the session presenting the scope of the session and guiding questions (FAO)
• Open conversation
• Closing remarks, including by co-leads of the UN Network on Migration Secretariat Working Group on Bilateral Labour Migration Agreements