The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Ts’eliso Mokhosi has officially launched the National Labour Migration Committee for Lesotho (NLMCL) in Maseru on Thursday.
In his keynote address, Mr Mokhotsi said that the committee will serve as a state-led regular information sharing and policy dialogue aimed at shaping national governance of labour migration and strengthening complementary policy approaches at the national level in Lesotho by supporting and promoting inter-ministerial policy dialogue.
He explained that benchmarking and building on its existing structures, the committee’s goals will complement the objectives of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on migration
He added that the committee will also establish ties with the National Advisory Committee on Labor (NACOLA) to advance social dialogue on consensus building on issues related to labour migration.
Moreover, Mr Mokhosi indicated that to advance and safeguard the rights of migrant workers, it is essential to manage the elements of labour migration governance and management in Lesotho effectively including implementing the recently endorsed legislation and policy frameworks such as the Social Security Act.
On the other hand, the Director of Continental Operational Centre, African Union Commission Mr Memo Machete said that as the commission they recognise that Labour Migration is a development agenda which needs proper coordination for the benefit of the destination country and that of the country of origin inorder to avoid any complexity.
He indicated that a well coordinated and multi focused approach should be adopted to ensure for the effective and productive committee towards the success of safe labour migration.
He further articulated that the commission will stand in solidarity with Lesotho as the African Union member state to ensure for the well functionality of the committee as well as proper implementation of policies that cater for labour migration that is safe.
Furthermore, the Representative of the Association of Lesotho Employers Advocate Lindiwe Sephomolo said that lack of skills in Lesotho is one of the challenges that they are hoping that with the effectiveness of the committee and labour migration successes will be addressed
She stated that they are hoping to see better inter-ministerial coordination as well as appropriate labour migration systems that will provide adequate labour migration data.
Advocate Sephomolo further mentioned that they would also like to see a system that will allow for those migrant workers coming into Lesotho being protected as those Basotho going to other countries being protected as well without the fears of xenophobic attacks.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Workers Ms.Motebang Leboela said that with this committee they are hoping to see labour migration policies that are of benefit to all including the informal economy groups as well as the people with disabilities.
She mentioned that although there are challenges that migrant workers are currently facing, they are hoping to see the well being of all migrant workers changing for the better.
The National Labour Migration Committee for Lesotho will consist of key government ministries or departments concerned with gender, youth, sports, social welfare, labour, data, consular matters, health, mining, education and vocational training, local government, law enforcement as well as legal affairs.
It will also include the National parliament of Lesotho, the National Human Rights commission and various non stakeholders stakeholders such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Authority, workers and employers representatives, recruitment agency representatives, diaspora groups, migrant workers association, academics and labour migration experts.
Source: Lesotho News Agency (LENA) 10/9/2024
