Myanmar (July - September 2021) - ILO
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TRIANGLE in ASEAN Quarterly Briefing Note
Myanmar (July – September 2021)
Key partners Mawk Kon Local Development Organization
Northern Shan State Baptist Convention
Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar
Network of labour organisations and civil society
Target sites Yangon, Mandalay, Tachileik, Keng Tung, Taunggyi, Lashio
Focal point Ms Wai Hnin Po, National Programme Coordinator, pow@ilo.org, +95 1 566 538
Disclaimer
Following the military coup on 1 February 2021, all ILO projects funded by development partners and implemented
by the ILO in Myanmar have been reviewed and reprogrammed in consultation with individual donors and in
accordance with the current guidance of the UN Country Team. Under this guidance, all activities that would
strengthen the de facto authorities have been halted, and no de facto government representatives from Myanmar
will be accredited or invited to any meeting or official event scheduled or hosted by the ILO. However, certain
programming can continue if it meets a set of specific criteria, including meeting urgent humanitarian needs for
the people of Myanmar. ILO and its TRIANGLE in ASEAN programme continue to promote safe migration for
women and men migrant workers through community-based awareness, rights advocacy and service delivery, as
well as other support, including COVID-19 prevention.
For more information, please see this document.
Background information
Labour migration has long been an important livelihood strategy for the people of Myanmar. By migrating, families
and their communities have been able to survive periods of severe economic hardship and stagnation. It is thought
that as much as 10 per cent of the labour force is working abroad, with almost 2 million Myanmar migrant workers
employed in Thailand and Malaysia alone (Ministry of Labour Thailand, November 2020, and Ministry of Human
Resources, Malaysia, September 2019). According to the World Bank, an estimated US$2.229 billion was remitted
by migrants in 2019, approximately 3.8 per cent of GDP (World Bank, 2020), which does not include the millions
that are informally remitted through brokers or hand-carried back home to family members.
An established policy framework to manage the immense labour migration flows is yet to be developed in
Myanmar. As a result, migration remains largely laissez-faire and inequitable, divided between regular migrants
who typically head to more developed economies within Asia and the Middle East via formal recruitment and
undocumented migrants who travel clandestinely to work in neighbouring middle-income countries. The Ministry
of Labour, Immigration and Population (MOLIP) is mandated to manage labour migration from Myanmar and
regulate the 330 licensed overseas employment agencies.
Because of the expensive, complex and time-consuming procedures required for formal recruitment through
licensed agencies, most migrants continue to seek out the assistance of unlicensed brokers or go abroad
independently. The social networks that facilitate these movements were established long before any management
systems had been developed to regulate labour migration. The involvement of unscrupulous actors and the lack
of accurate and impartial information frequently also places migrants at risk of becoming victims of abuse and
exploitation.
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In 2019, according to the Government, Myanmar was
sending workers through 273 licensed overseas
Myanmar at a glance employment agencies to 18 destination countries. Since the
outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, regular
Population: 54.4 million migration from Myanmar has largely been halted due to
Labour Force: 24.2 million border closings in Myanmar as well as in destination
countries.
Source: UN Population Division. World Population
Prospects: 2019 Revision; ILOSTAT 2019
Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected
Migrant workers in Thailand the entire world, including the ASEAN region. Women and
men migrant workers in the region are striving to protect
343,271 MOU migrant workers their livelihoods and their health through the crisis, yet
(Women= 146,827/ Men= 196,444)
many are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and its
754,997 migrant workers under the 2019 economic and health impacts Myanmar’s ongoing political
Cabinet Resolution1, including migrants crisis due to the February military coup is exacerbating
completing nationality verification
(Women= 338,045/ Men= 416,952) these impacts. During this reporting period, TRIANGLE in
ASEAN has continued to focus on both a legal and
141,392 migrant workers under the 4 August
2020 Cabinet Resolutions (includes border
humanitarian response to the COVID-19 crisis.
employment)2
(Women= 61,555/ Men= 79,837) Key developments
213,778 migrant workers under the December
2020 Cabinet Resolution (amnesty program) 2 On 1 February 2021, the military declared a state of
(Women=91,957/ Men=121,821)
emergency on the grounds of alleged electoral fraud. All
Source: Office of Foreign Workers Administration, legislative, judicial and executive powers were transferred to
Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour,
Thailand (August 2021)
the Commander in Chief (CIC). President Win Myint and
State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi were detained and
Migrants in Malaysia subsequently charged with several offences. Other senior
officials from the National League for Democracy (NLD), the
Total: 350,605 migrants
(Women=99,232 / Men=251,373)
party certified as winning the November 2020 election, were
also detained. In addition, ministers and Members of
Source: UNDESA, 2020 Parliament were placed under house arrest. During the
TRIANGLE in ASEAN delivers assistance directly to current quarter, the overall human rights situation in
migrant workers and their communities through three Myanmar has deteriorated. While protests and
Migrant Worker Resource Centres (MRCs). These
MRCs, managed in partnership with civil society
demonstrations have continued across the country, violence
organizations and Trade Unions, are based in Keng and intimidation perpetrated by security forces against the
Tung, Tachileik, and Yangon. In addition, TRIANGLE
civilian population have escalated. Cases of torture of
provides MRC-type services through other non-regime
partners in Mandalay, Shan State, and Taunggyi. detainees have also been reported. Widespread economic
disruption is continuing, including severe pressure on
Since the start of the programme up until the end of
2020, TRIANGLE in ASEAN reached 29,698 migrant financial institutions and supply chains. According to a recent
workers (41% women) through the Myanmar MRCs. study by the United Nations Development Programme, the
1
combined effect of the global pandemic and the military
The August 2019 Cabinet resolution allows migrant workers to
renew a work permit without leaving Thailand. This include those takeover could push up to 12 million people into poverty. This
who have completed nationality verification and held temporary
passports, travel documents, or certificate of identity.
could result in as many as 25 million people living below the
2
national poverty line by early 2022.
These resolutions (CR), in response to COVID-19, facilitate
migrant workers to stay and work in Thailand legally. The 4
August 2020 CR granted extension to four groups of migrant
workers, whose work permit expired, including MoU workers with
A Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) commenced across
four years completed, and migrant workers with border passes the country shortly after the military takeover. The CDM has
whilst the December 2020 CR provides amnesty for migrant
workers from Lao PDR, Cambodia and Myanmar with irregular engaged in various forms of protest, including the withdrawal
status, along with their children under the age of 18 to register.
of labour and large-scale public demonstrations involving the
public and private sectors and civil society.
International Labour Organization +662 288 1742 ILOTV
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This has extended across many sectors with widespread strikes in the civil service, commercial banking,
telecommunications, electricity services, hospitals, and other medical services, including COVID-19 testing and
quarantine facilities and other activities.
Another wave of COVID-19 infections commenced in May 2021. The Myanmar Ministry of Health and Sports
resumed reporting daily infection numbers, with 458,154 reported in total up to 27 September. In mid-July, 40 per
cent of all tests were confirmed to be positive. During the reporting period, many areas of the country were under
a stay-at-home order and movement restrictions.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, more than 167,000 Myanmar migrant workers have returned from Thailand, China,
and Malaysia through official checkpoints from 22 March to 21 October 2020. Data beyond October 2020 is only
available on an ad-hoc basis. Quarantine facilities, transportation to migrant workers' home towns and testing
facilities were available to most migrants until January 2021. However, all quarantine facilities were closed after
the coup in February 2021. On 9 September 2021, during a diplomatic briefing session, the Information Minister
of the de facto authority stated that 74,955 migrants returned from China, Lao PDR, and Thailand during the recent
wave of COVID-19 from June 2021 to September 2021. COVID-19 testing facilities at the borders and
transportation for the migrants who returned through official channels were in place.
Main programme activities: July – September 2021
During this quarter, TRIANGLE in ASEAN has continued to deliver emergency assistance and information to
prevent contraction and spread of COVID-19 to returning migrant workers through partners in Keng Tung,
Tachileik, Lashio, and Taunggyi in Shan State and the Mandalay Region. TRIANGLE partners have provided
packages with essential hygiene items, printed information produced by the WHO, and information about services
available to migrant workers. In addition, TRIANGLE partners also delivered emergency food supplies to returnees
as and when needed.
From July to August, TRIANGLE in ASEAN reached 3,920 returnees (W:1,640; M:2,280) with emergency
assistance and counselling as described above. This includes 720 (W:364; M:356) in Keng Tung supported by the
Mawk Kon Local Development Organization; 2,454 (W:918; M:1,536) in Taunggyi and surrounding areas by a
National Consultant; 446 (W:208; M:238) in the Mandalay region by a national consultant; and 300 (W:150; M:150)
by the Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar (CTUM). Mawk Kon and CTUM provided Personal Protective
Equipment sets to 150 frontline service providers. During this quarter, CTUM and the National Consultant assisted
in 22 complaints cases lodged by 62 migrant workers (W:26; M:36) and resolved 16 cases. Due to the current
wave of COVID-19 infections in Northern Shan State and Eastern Shan State, NSSBC and Mawk Kon Tachileik
MRC could not conduct outreach and other face-to-face activities.
On 12 August, TRIANGLE in the ASEAN organized a half-day online workshop on COVID-19 with the ILO Safety
and Health for all workers in Myanmar project (SHFA). During the workshop, which benefitted from the expertise
of WHO health experts, 30 participants from all TRIANGLE and SHFA partner organizations attended.
On 2 September, TRIANGLE in ASEAN conducted a full-day online consultation workshop with Trade Unions and
CSOs on the Future of Labour Migration from Myanmar. The Deputy Liaison Officer of the ILO-Yangon office
delivered opening remarks during the meeting, and recommendations were developed. In total, 31 people (W:20;
M:11) participated.
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Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
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Copyright © International Labour Organization 2021TRIANGLE in ASEAN Quarterly Briefing Note
From 13 to 15 September, TRIANGLE in ASEAN conducted three, half-day, safe migration trainings with Care
Myanmar to support implementing partners based in Mandalay, Yangon, Mon and Kayah regions. The training
was conducted online, and a total of 30 participants attended. The training covered various topics on pre-departure
information, labour rights in the destination country, and services for return and reintegration.
On 24 September, ILO's migration projects organized a virtual meeting with CSOs and labour organizations to
enhance the partner network and share updates on emerging issues and upcoming conferences and training on
labour migration. Twenty participants from the implementing partners joined the meeting.
Upcoming activities and key dates (October – December 2021)
The activities below are tentative. Priority is given to the emergency response and reintegration services to
returned migrant workers.
Date Event Location Attendees Purpose
October to Distribute Keng Tung Potential and returned To provide support
December information and Mawk Kon MRC, women and men migrant services and
provide services Tachileik workers information to potential
through partners Northern Shan and returned migrant
State Baptist workers
Provide emergency Convention
response and (NSSBC),
reintegration National
services to returned Consultants in
migrant workers Mandalay and
Taunggyi
October Translate and print Yangon Potential and returned To provide financial
the Save Smart: women and men migrant knowledge to potential
Financial Literacy workers and families and returned migrant
Tools into Myanmar members workers
and ethnic
languages
25 Migrants' Rights Online General public To advocate for migrant
November Campaign on the worker's rights
International Day for
the Elimination of
Violence against
Women
18 International Online International Migrants Day To advocate for migrant
December Migrants Day (IMD) (IMD) worker's rights
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Media coverage
10 July Nearly 1,200 Coronavirus-Positive Myanmar Workers in Thailand's Tak The Irrawaddy
Need Help, Groups Say
25 July Desperate Myanmar migrant workers struggle to survive in Thailand Al Jazeera
19 August Myanmar Migrant Workers in Mae Sot Get Free COVID-19 Jabs The Irrawaddy
30 August Myanmar migrant workers in Mae Sot can contact labour attaché' to return Eleven Media
home
12 September 2,880 Myanmar migrant workers return from Laos in over a month, 250 Eleven Media
infected with Covid-19
12 September COVID-19 impacts Myanmar migrant workers Mizzima
13 September No let up in Thai crackdown on Myanmar migrants UCA News
26 September Myanmar accepts up to 500 migrant workers returning from Thailand Eleven Media
every two days
29 September Ministry pushes to register migrants Bangkok Post
TRIANGLE in ASEAN extends the cooperation between the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Australian
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Global Affairs Canada on protecting migrant workers and enhancing
development opportunities. TRIANGLE in ASEAN aims to ensure that the benefits of labour migration are equally realised
by men and women migrant workers; employers and governments. In shifting emphasis towards leveraging the development
potential of migration, TRIANGLE in ASEAN aims to shape labour migration opportunities to support inclusive and
sustainable growth in the ASEAN Economic Community. TRIANGLE in ASEAN engages institutionally with ASEAN and
focuses on delivering in six countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam).
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