"We know, and some of us have been recently reminded,
that migration stands high on the agenda of national and international policy makers.
It is taking place on a large and a growing scale,
its patterns are becoming more complex,
its nature is evolving.
We all agree that it has the potential to contribute very considerably
to growth and to development.
And yet it does pose major policy challenges
and lamentably it continues, in too many cases,
to be associated with the unacceptable treatment
and abuse of some of those women and men
who are the most vulnerable in our labour markets.
There is no doubt then about the size,
the importance and the topicality of the subject,
nor indeed of the ILO’s constitutional responsibilities in respect to it."
In 2014, the ILO's Director General introduced his agenda for fair migration.
With a view to enriching the UN Post-2015 Development debates,
we asked leaders of workers, employers, governments,
and civil society organizations for their thoughts on how to achieve it.
"Migrants should have a choice to migrate,
and that should not be a necessity.
We think that there is hope for the future
that a fair migration agenda could really unite us all."
"There is an absolute lack of understanding
that we thought we were breaking through in the beginning of this century
around the fact that migrant workers don't take peoples jobs,
they actually make an amazing contribution to economies in host countries."
"Migration should be an experience which is enjoyable,
that gives an ability to be what you want to be in the world,
and give you the opportunities which you may not have at home
but can be offered to you elsewhere.
I think the biggest problem is ignorance, fear, xenophobia.
I think people are concerned that their jobs will lost by the coming of others.
But the reality is today that with the demographic trends around the world
we have to have migration if your societies,
particularly in Europe,
are going to be able to continue to enjoy the standards of living we currently have."
"Migrating from one place to another should not be a painful situation
or a dangerous or difficult situation for anyone.
The international community can examine this theme carefully
and come to international decisions and understandings
which can produce a migration scheme with security,
a migration scheme that is fair and with international rights."
"Migration is a benefit for everyone that is involved in this phenomenon,
as much the countries as the workers themselves.
And very often the perception of this phenomenon is not the reality of the phenomenon of migration."
"So it's very important for national economies and for the world economy
that migration be seen in a positive way,
and proceed in an orderly way."
"First of all, there has to be a commitment to fair migration on both sides,
from the recipient end as well as the sending end".
"Fair migration means equity,
promoting human dignity and protecting the rights of migrants."
"Migrants need to be fully informed of their rights and obligations,
and governments need to ensure that those rights are actually upheld and enforced."
"I am not saying that security measures are not necessary.
I have no objection to them but they need to be combined with a social solution
which has to be given priority in order to look at the deep roots of the problem."
"The very basic principle of equal pay for work of equal value has to be observed."
"Workers are paying huge amounts of money, just to get a job abroad
and that doesn't make sense, that today we have to pay to get a job."
"We have to do more, and in this context ILO support is important.
Everybody needs social protection, everyone needs a minimum wage,
everybody needs justice
and everybody needs respect as well as decent work."
"Fair migration is, really to my mind, free migration... voluntary migration."
"Migration policies are made about migrants but never with migrants.
For me fair migration is a migration that gives back to migrants their voice."
“Everybody has a role to play in this issue, and I strongly believe that.
You don't necessarily have to have years of experience on the issue of migration to play a role."
"The ILO is in a unique position to bring all of these actors together
and make a substantial change.
It is time for ILO to take action."
International Labour Organization (ILO) 2014