{"id":44701,"date":"2021-09-28T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-28T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/?p=44701"},"modified":"2026-04-07T16:28:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T09:28:54","slug":"24-civil-organizations-call-on-asean-to-better-protect-migrant-fishers-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/press\/44701\/24-civil-organizations-call-on-asean-to-better-protect-migrant-fishers-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"24 civil organizations call on ASEAN to better protect migrant fishers\u2019 rights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Jakarta, Indonesia<\/em> <\/strong>\u2014<\/strong> Key human rights, migrant worker, and crime government agencies are failing to protect and meet the needs of Southeast Asian migrant fishers working on-board distant water fishing (DWF) vessels. A new report, which has been submitted and endorsed by 24 civil organisations across Southeast Asia[1], analyses how these key government agencies are failing to identify \u201cmigrant fishers\u201d as \u201cmigrant workers\u201d, or coordinate in specifically remedying issues that migrant fishers face.<\/p>\n\n

The report titled \u201cBriefing Paper on Ratifying and Implementing ILO Convention 188 in ASEAN Member States\u201d shows how the frameworks of the ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers (ACMW), the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), and the Senior Officials\u2019 Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) do not do enough to meet the needs to properly protect and ensure the rights of migrant fishers; and they should instead empower and encourage ASEAN Member states (AMS) to tackle forced labour at sea problems. Specifically, the report urges the ratification of the International Labour Organization\u2019s Work in Fishing Convention 188 (ILO C-188), which is the most comprehensive international instrument concerning the working conditions and labour rights of fishers.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cFishing industries heavily rely on migrant workers from countries where employment is scarce and who are willing to work for starvation wages. As a result, this has put every Southeast Asian migrant fisher on foreign fishing vessels in a position vulnerable to exploitation and more susceptible to becoming a victim of human trafficking,\u201d says Hariyanto Suwarno, Chairman of the Indonesian Migrant Workers\u2019 Union (SBMI).<\/p>\n\n

\u201cBy ratifying the ILO C-188, there will be a stronger commitment by ASEAN countries to protect fisheries crew and their labour rights. People\u2019s lives are at risk, and this is one step forward towards eradicating forced labour in the fishing industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Currently, only Thailand has ratified the ILO C-188. Through wider ratification, ASEAN Member States are expected to enhance efforts on developing pathways for safe and ethical recruitment, and grievance mechanisms to address abuses or accidents that occur onboard foreign fishing vessels.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThe increasingly reported cases of unethical recruitment schemes, poor working conditions, and tragic deaths of Southeast Asian migrant fishers on distant water fishing (DWF) vessels over the years[2] has fueled growing concern over forced labour and human trafficking in the fishing industry,\u201d says Annisa Erou, one of the report co-authors from Greenpeace Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cIf properly enforced, ILO C-188 can level the playing field domestically in reducing accidents and injury at sea. It is a crucial step in improving workers\u2019 rights in the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

The report has been submitted to the ASEAN Secretariat. To enhance the speedy ratification and implementation of ILO C-188, the key action points are to:<\/p>\n\n

1)    Recognize migrant fishers in the DWF industry as migrant workers to be afforded the same rights and protections as migrant workers on land or in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and territorial waters of the flag State.   <\/p>\n\n

2)    Ratify and implement ILO C-188.<\/p>\n\n

3)    Develop an ASEAN action plan for the prevention, protection and prosecution of entities involved in forced labour in the fishing industry.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThe briefing paper clearly manifests the dedication that the team has in helping provide solutions to the worsening forced labour and human trafficking at sea. The resources put into this endeavor truly deserve support towards the ratification of C-188,\u201d said Fr. Paulo, Director of the Scalabrini Center for People on the Move and the Chaplain of Stella Maris Manila.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWe join this civil societies\u2019 call to ASEAN Member States and look forward to the implementation of the provisions of the Convention, to justice being served to the victims, and to the end to the horrible crimes committed against the hardworking seafarers and fisher folks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Briefing Paper available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Notes to Editors:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

[1] List of 24 civil society organizations involved<\/p>\n\n

18 submitters:<\/p>\n\n

  1. Asosiasi Pekerja Perikanan Indonesia (Indonesian Fisheries Workers Association – AP2I)<\/li>
  2. CSO Coalition for Ethical and Sustainable Seafood<\/li>
  3. Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)<\/li>
  4. Forum Asia<\/li>
  5. Global Labor Justice – International Labor Rights Form (GLJ-ILRF)<\/li>
  6. Greenpeace Southeast Asia<\/li>
  7. Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative (IOJI)<\/li>
  8. Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Bandung (Bandung Legal Aid Institute – LBH Bandung)<\/li>
  9. Oxfam International – Asia<\/li>
  10. Plan International<\/li>
  11. Serikat Awak Kapal Perikanan Bersatu (SAKTI) SULUT \/ North Sulawesi United Fishing Vessel Crew Union (SAKTI SULUT)<\/li>
  12. Serikat Awak Kapal Transportasi Indonesia (SAKTI) \/ Indonesian Transportation Crew Union<\/li>
  13. Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia (Indonesian Migrant Workers Union – SBMI)<\/li>
  14. Serikat Pekerja Perikanan Indonesia (Indonesian Fisheries Workers Union – SPPI)<\/li>
  15. Serikat Pelaut Sulawesi Utara (North Sulawesi Seafarers’ Union – SPSU)<\/li>
  16. Stella Maris Manila<\/li>
  17. The Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN)<\/li>
  18. Verit\u00e9 Southeast Asia.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n

    6 endorsers:<\/p>\n\n

    1. Amnesty International – Indonesia<\/li>
    2. Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW)<\/li>
    3. Human Rights Working Group (HRWG)<\/li>
    4. MARUAH Singapore<\/li>
    5. Raks Thai Foundation<\/li>
    6. Solidaritas Perempuan (SP) \/ \u200b\u200bWomen’s Solidarity.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n

      [2] Referring to \u201cForced Labour at Sea: The Case of Indonesian Migrant Fishers\u201d<\/a> Report by Greenpeace Southeast Asia<\/p>\n\n

      Media Contacts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

      Hariyanto Suwarno, Chairman, Indonesian Migrant Workers\u2019 Union (SBMI), hari@sbmi.or.id<\/a>, +62 822-9828-0638.<\/p>\n\n

      Annisa Erou, Oceans Policy Researcher, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, aputri@greenpeace.org<\/a>, +62 821-3300-0604.<\/p>\n\n

      Fr. Paulo, Director, Scalabrini Center for People on the Move and the Chaplain of Stella Maris Manila, pauloprigol@yahoo.com<\/a>, +632 8-722-8565.<\/p>\n\n

      Sheila Maharani Berlian, ASEAN Interventions Communications, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, sheila.berlian@greenpeace.org, +62 819-9922-9222.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n \t\t\t

      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tProtect the Oceans\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

      The threats facing our oceans are getting more urgent, find out how you can make a difference<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t \n Get Involved\n <\/a>\n \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Jakarta, Indonesia, 28 September 2021\u2014 Key human rights, migrant worker, and crime government agencies are failing to protect and meet the needs of Southeast Asian migrant fishers working on-board distant…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":44711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"not set","p4_local_project":"not set","p4_basket_name":"not set","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[34,154],"tags":[163,103,86],"p4-page-type":[14],"class_list":["post-44701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oceans","category-people-and-activism","tag-fishing","tag-asean","tag-human-rights","p4-page-type-press"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/89"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44701"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44838,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44701\/revisions\/44838"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44701"},{"taxonomy":"p4-page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/southeastasia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/p4-page-type?post=44701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}