Human Rights, Decent Work and Access to Quality Public Services for All (Marrakesh)

8 Dec 2018 Marrakesh, Morocco 8 Dec - 9 Dec

Human Rights, Decent Work and Access to Quality Public Services for All (Marrakesh)

  • 8 Dec - 9 Dec
  • Marrakesh, Morocco

Human Rights, Decent Work and Access to Quality Public Services for All:
Supporting the Role of Public Service Trade Unions in Advancing the UN Global Compact on Migration and the UN Global Compact on Refugees

Workshop Organised by Public Services International (PSI) in cooperation with the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES)

Description:

This two-day workshop in Morocco will bring together union activists representing affiliates of Public Services International (PSI) and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) from the MENA, Africa and Europe to discuss PSI’s Programme of Work on Migration and Refugees (2018-2022) and relating this to the UN Global Compact on Migration and the UN Global Compact on Refugees. Since 2017, PSI has been actively engaged in the consultations and lobbying around the two Global Compacts. The Adoption Conference culminates these engagements with a commitment to action by PSI unions towards the implementation of the Compacts.

PSI affiliates, representing workers delivering public services, play a unique role in advancing both Global Compacts:

  • Public service workers are at the frontlines providing basic services to migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, including services that are critical in emergency-response, disasters, displacement, and reconstruction. In addition to conflict-related displacement, both Global Compacts also commit to addressing climate-related displacement and migration.
  •  Public services are profoundly affected by migration, particularly in the health and care sectors. Health worker migration remains a global phenomenon, which has implications on labour rights, fair and ethical recruitment, sustainable development and the mobility of skills.  The Global Compact on Migration commits to addressing these issues, including piloting the concept of Global Skills Partnerships, particularly in the health sector.
  • PSI runs projects with its affiliates in the MENA, Africa and Europe on health worker migration, human rights of migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons, fighting racism and discrimination, and defending access to quality public services for all. From these projects, PSI has developed good practices, evidence base analysis and strategies that are useful tools in advancing the Global Compacts.

Objective:

The key objective of this activity is to support the unique role of public service trade unions in advancing the positive commitments within the UN Global Compact on Migration and the UN Global Compact on Refugees.

The activity will be held in the weekend leading to the United Nations Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, in order to allow workshop participants to also participate in the Adoption Conference. PSI is accredited to participate in the Conference through its UN ECOSOC status. However, we are still waiting for advice from the UN as to how many participants we can accredit to the conference. 


Migration Week in Marrakesh:

Many migration-related events are being organised in Marrakesh on this “Migration Week,” with opportunities to network with civil society organisations and participate in UN side events:


Participation:

Participation in the PSI Workshop is open to PSI and EPSU union activists from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Africa and Europe. There is limited funding to support participation. However, should you wish to participate with your own resources, please contact: genevieve.gencianos@world-psi.org.