Mapping Migration In Lao PDR - Sussex.ac.uk

Workshop on Independent Child Migrants: Policy debatesand Dilemmas, 12th September 2007, Central Hall,Westminster, London, England.Mapping Migration inLao PDRLAO PDRPresented by Inthasone Phetsiriseng

Introduction Labour Migration Survey inKhammuane, Savannakhetand Champasack of Lao PDR(2003, ILO) Gender Concerns in Migrationin Lao PDR (2007, UNIFEM)LAO PDR

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Country Profile 5.6 million, 49 ethnic groups with four majorethno-linguistic groups 52.5% of the population is ethnic Lao, whilethe remainder belong to other ethnic Estimated per capita GDP in 2004 was USD428 Economic growth does not contributesubstantially to poverty reduction and thepositive effect is largely offset by increasesin inequalityLAO PDR

Contextual BackgroundLAO PDR Geographical position of Lao PDR ascorridor creates favourableconditions for the areas of trade,tourism and communication in theregion Lao PDR is located in the center of adynamic and prospering region, andas such, has the potential to providea strategic resource base and landlink to its neighbors – Vietnam,Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar andChina.

Contextual BackgroundLAO PDR On average about 25,000 youth (15 - 18years old) enter the labour market eachyear Limited economic opportunities in thecountry are the strongest push factor thatcontributes to labour migration abroad Only 6% of the labour force in the countryis paid employees. The vast majority of thelabour force is self-employed. Therefore many Lao women see moreeconomic opportunities and jobs inThailand and are keen to look for workthere through social and illegal recruitmentnetworks.

Groundbreaking SurveySample size nearly 39,000 peopleMore than 20,000 people interviewedPopulation of three provinces 1/3total population of Lao PDRNearly 6,000 households7% of household members on the moveLAO PDR

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Sample PopulationMALEFEMALE71 71 18-2018-2015-1715-1710-1410-145-95-90-40-4by geographical settings andaccessibility;Migrating3,0002,5002,0001,500Non Migrating PopulationLAO PDR1,000500Migrating Population-050010001500Non Migrating Population20002500Migrating Population3000

Main FindingsMigration acceleratingYoung children most vulnerableContact lost with children: 50% Increased trafficking fearedLAO PDR

Routes Workers from Lao migrating intoThailand use four channels:1.Illegal labour recruitment networks2.Cross-border smugglers3.Social networks of migrant workers4.Using border passes and passportsLAO PDR

Major Outcomes Reliable data bank of irregular migrant workers(out of 300 sample villages) in Thailand.LAO PDR Labour migration patterns:– by age– by sex– by year of migration– by types of jobs– by ethnic groups– by source areas(i.e. geographical settings and accessibility from urban/rural areas with/without roads)– by destination areas (e.g. internal / international)– by socio-economic status (SES)(low, medium and high )

Migrating PopulationMALEFEMALE71 71 15-1710-1410-145-9 5-90-4 0-4350300250LAO PDR200150100500050100150200250300350400450

Migration Pattern: Overview 6.9% of total sample population are migratingpopulation (55.9%: F / 44.1%: M). Among the migrating population, 21.5% arechildren under 18 yearsLAO PDR

Migration Abroad: Overview Among total migrating population, 80.8% migrated abroad. Compared to total sample population by sex,migrating female abroad comprise of 7.6%,while migrating male abroad comprise of 6.2%. More female migrate abroad than male. 21.4% of total migrating population abroad are childrenunder 18 years. 81.5% of migrating population abroad are currently inThailand, 8.3% in other bordering countries, 0.5% inEurope and 9.3% in USA.LAO PDR 73.7% of migrating population to Thailand migrated duringthe last 3 years (2000-2003).

Migration to Thailand:Benefits (Remittances) Overall, 54.4% of MWT sent remittances to their families,but the other 45.6% did not. Among SES groups, 70.1% of Highest quintile sentremittances, while only 25.5% of Lowest quintile did. Among children, only 29% of 10-14 age group, and 46.8% of15-17 age group sent remittance.Highest percentage (78.6%) sending remittances are thosein 46-50 age group.LAO PDR

Migration to Thailand: RisksLAO PDR Risks: 3 criteria1. No remittance sent to families2. Families cannot contact3. No information on livelihood sent Overall, high risk groups comprise 1.4% of totalMigrating Workers to Thailand (MWT).(0.6%: M / 0.8%: F). Girls of 10 -14 years age group are most at risks(3.2% of the age group), as well as those in15-17 years age group (2.5% of the age group). High risks groups of female MWT comprise 0.8% oftotal MWT. Male MWT of 15 years old and above are at highrisks, particularly those 21 years old and above(0.6% of total MWT).

Internal Migration: Overview Only 1.2 % of total sample population are internal migratingpopulation (40.9%: F / 59.1%: M). Compared to total sample population by sex,internal migrating female comprise of 1.1%,while internal migrating male comprise of 1.6%. Internal migration International migration More male migrate internally than female(opposite phenomenon to migration abroad) 22.1% of total internal migrating population are children. Among internal migrating population, 42.5% migrate toVientiane Capital.LAO PDR

Internal Migration: Benefits (Remittances) Overall, 51.4% of total internal migratingpopulation sent remittance to their families,but the other 48.6% did not. More girls of 10-17 years sent remittance thanboys of 10-17 years age group.LAO PDR

Internal Migration: Risks Among Male Internal Migrant Workers,between 18-30 years old are at high risk(average 1.4%).LAO PDR Among Female Internal Migrant Workers,No particular high risk groups found,But there are some risk groupsbetween 15-20 years old.- their households’ heads have noinformation and contact (0.5%)- those who never sent remittances andinformation to heads of households (1%)

Health IssuesHealthLAO PDRMaleFemaleOften sick10%9%Did not havehealth check up65%67%Don’t knowabout HIV/AIDS49%44%

Summary Survey size first of its kind in Lao PDR39,000 people in nearly 6,000 households Dramatic acceleration in migration More than one in five migrants under 18 Contact lost with more than 50% of children Girls aged 10-14 at greatest risk of traffickingLAO PDR 49% of males and 44% females don’t know aboutHIV/AIDS and more than 2/3 of MW returnees didnot have health check ups.

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Discussion “trafficking in persons” The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring orreceipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms ofcoercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of theabuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of thegiving or receiving of payments or benefitsto achieve the consent of a person having control overanother person, for the purpose of exploitation(Art. 3(a), UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish traffickingtrafficking in Persons,Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the UN ConventionAgainst Organized Crime, 2000).2000).LAO PDR

Discussion “migration” A process of moving, either across aninternational border, or within a State. It is a population movement, encompassingany kind of movement of people, whatever itslength, composition and causes; it includes migration of refugees, displacedpersons, uprooted people, and economicmigrants.(International Migration Law, Glossary on Migration, IOM,2004)LAO PDR

Discussion trafficking Labour exploitationLow income, poor conditions Regular or intermittentincome able to remit somemoney and fair conditions Regular income and fairworking conditionsLAO PDR

Discussion The presence of coercion, forceand/or deception for the purpose ofexploitation is the key in determiningwhether or not a person has beentrafficked, and that distinguishestrafficking from migrant smugglingand other forms of irregularmigration. LAO PDR(An Information Guide. Preventing Discrimination,Exploitation and Abuse of Women Migrant Workers, ILO,2003)

Discussion Trafficking in persons is a modernform of slavery. Traffickers usethreats, intimidation and violence tosubject victims to involuntaryservitude, peonage, debt bondage,and forced marriages, to engage inforced prostitution or to labour underconditions comparable to slavery forthe traffickers’ financial gain(essentially treating people ascommodities). (ibid)LAO PDR

Trends in Out-migration Lao migrants totaled 181,614people (of whom more than half,some 100,633 were female) Thai employers demanded atotal of 45,357 Lao domesticworkers (30.54%) Registered domestic workersfrom Lao 72.86% of the totalemployer demandLAO PDR

Problems Lao Women MigrantWorkers EncounterDuring pre-departure phase Poverty in the families anddrawbacks in the education systemhave pushed them to leave schoolat early ages to help their familiesto work and to generate income. Inmany cases, large families couldnot afford to further the educationof their children combined with thegender bias, girls have to suffer.LAO PDR

Problems Lao Women MigrantWorkers EncounterLAO PDRDuring the process of migration Due to the expensive charges of thelegal recruitment agencies and thedangers involved in illegal migrationthrough illegal recruitment networks,increasing number of migrantworkers are shifting towards the useof personal connections throughfamily members, relatives and friendsthat are currently working in Thailandin traveling and finding jobs inThailand.

Problems Lao Women MigrantWorkers EncounterAt destination Young girls and women migrant workersbeing in the irregular status in Thailandmakes them more vulnerable to abuses,including restriction of movement andcommunication (being locked in thefactories or houses and not allowed touse telephones), forced to work for longhours without rests, being hit andtortured in inhuman manners, working indangerous conditions, deductions andwithholding of salary.LAO PDR

Problems Lao Women MigrantWorkers EncounterUpon return Irregular migrant workers have high risks of beingcaught by the immigration police upon return.There are many reported cases of irregularmigrant workers caught and put in detentioncentre and are subjected to heavy fines.LAO PDR Irregular migrants’ hard earning money will beconfiscated by the police and they will bedeported across the border without money. In the worst cases, in some provinces on the Laoborder, these irregular migrant workers are alsosubjected to heavy fines by the immigration policeand the village authorities.

Summary Under the Thai and Lao labour law,domestic work has not been fully protectedas a form of labour Have not as yet been recognized andapproved officially as a work sector forrecruitment and sending under the MOU Though there is high demand for the Laomigrant workers to work in Thailand, theprocess of recruitment, approval and joboffers had been very slow and it has notmet the pace of demand by employers.LAO PDR

Way Forward Cooperation among social partnersas well as with migrant workers isespecially important to thedevelopment of sound labourmigration policies and programmesand their effective implementation ina way that respects the rights ofmigrant workers and members oftheir families.LAO PDR

Internal Migration: Overview Only 1.2 % of total sample population are internal migrating population (40.9%: F / 59.1%: M) . Compared to total sample population by sex, internal migrating female comprise of 1.1% , while internal migrating male comprise of 1.6% . Internal migration International migration