Secretariat - Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities

Handbook on Establishing Effective Labour Migration Policies in Countries of Origin and Destination

To contribute to policy formulation, capacity building and effective implementation of migration measures, the OSCE/OCEEA, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) produced a comprehensive Handbook on Establishing Effective Labour Migration Policies in Countries of Origin and Destination.

The Handbook aims to assist states in their efforts to develop new policy approaches, solutions and practical measures for better management of labour migration in countries of origin and of destination. It has been prepared primarily for use by decision-makers and practitioners in the OSCE area, in the Mediterranean area, and in countries served by IOM and ILO. It analyses effective policies and practices and draws on examples from OSCE participating States as well as other countries that have considerable experience in this field.

The Handbook was produced in two versions, one mainly targeting the Commonwealth for Independent States countries and another one aimed at the Mediterranean countries.

These Handbooks contain policy models, practical guidelines and good practice examples from the respective target regions and are available in Russian, Arabic, English, and French. This Mediterranean Edition of the Handbook was launched in December 2007 in Rabat (Morocco).

Training Modules on Labour Migration Management – Trainer’s Manual

The OSCE and the IOM, with support from the ILO and the Council of Europe, have developed the practical “Training Modules on Labour Migration Management-Trainer’s Manual”. This Manual responds to the demand for a comprehensive and flexible training tool on effective labour migration management. It encourages interactive learning, through a number of participatory group activities and case studies, specifically designed for adult training. This publication was launched in Vienna on 10 February 2011 in a Launch Event.

This Training Modules are targeted at trainers and migration experts conducting training activities for policy-makers and practitioners from countries of origin and destination.

OSCE Guide on Gender-Sensitive Labour Migration Policies

In May 2009 the OCEEA, the Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, and the OSCE Secretariat Gender Section launched a Guide on Gender-Sensitive Labour Migration Policies. This guide aims to raise awareness of the important contributions female migrant workers make to economic development and of the particular challenges they face throughout the migration process. It suggests a number of measures and possible solutions and provides examples of good practices that may be considered by policy-makers, parliamentarians and social partners in the OSCE countries and the OSCE Partners for Co-operation. Since its launch, the Guide has been distributed to all OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation, OSCE field operations and a large number of international and non-governmental organizations

The Guide is currently available in English and Russian.

OSCE Trainer’s Manual on Gender and Labour Migration

A Trainer’s Manual on Gender and Labour Migration was published and launched in April 2010 by the OCEEA and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The Trainer’s Manual complements the Guide and is meant as guidance for trainers on gender-sensitive labour migration policies. It is available in English and Russian.