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Nurturing Resilience of Civil Society Actors and Trade Unions in Southeast Asia
14 September, 2022 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
The military coup in Myanmar has taken a severe toll on trade unions and civil society organizations (CSOs) providing services to migrants and other workers. Despite their fierce commitment to resist this suppression and continue their work, it is clear that their organizational resilience is being tested. The expansion of these organizations during the last decade has been a key foundation for much of the progress achieved on increasing labour rights protection in Myanmar and the current state of affairs represents a genuine threat to the continuity of these rights.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) conducted an assessment of the organizational resilience of trade unions and CSOs in Myanmar to better understand the current situation and identify what can be done to most effectively provide support for their continued operation. As a launch event for the ILO Brief that has been published from the study, the panel discussion “Nurturing Resilience of Civil Society Actors and Trade Unions in Southeast Asia” will share the key research findings and situate them within the broader context of decreasing civic space in Southeast Asia.
SEA Junction has long been concerned with the shrinking space for civil society in Southeast Asia. As democracy experiences a global decline and Southeast Asia oscillates between authoritarian endurance and democratic rollback, the activities of CSOs have been increasingly monitored and restricted. To different degrees, freedom of speech and assembly have come under threat and CSOs—especially those advocating structural changes and human rights—are being subjected to ever-tightening regulatory requirements. The legitimacy and accountability of these organizations has been questioned, with implications for the resourcing of their programs and operations (see further Wielding the Purse Strings of Southeast Asian Civil Society). Already prohibited from forming registered trade unions of their own, migrant workers in many destinations countries are experiencing additional barriers in organizing even informal associations.
Taking inspiration from the strategies identified by the ILO for supporting CSOs and unions in Myanmar, this panel will reflect on strategies to mitigate the constraints they face regionally, with particular attention to Thailand and the Philippines. Speakers will explore the challenges and organizational needs for maintaining civic space and freedom of association, and make recommendations on possible interventions, including strategic support provided by local partners and the international community. This to ensure that the contribution of trade unions and CSOs to a more equitable, inclusive and just societies is not jeopardized.
Organized by SEA Junction in partnership with the Ship to Shore Rights South East Asia programme funded by the European Union, the event will be held on 14 September 2022 from 5:30-7:00 PM at SEA Junction, Room 408-409, 4th Floor, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC).
Speakers:
- Benjamin Harkins, Technical Officer, International Labour Organization
- Suntaree H. Saeng-ging, Coordinator, HomeNet Southeast Asia and Vice President, Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion (HomeNet)
- Joel Mark Baysa-Barredo, Executive Director, SHAPE-SEA
Moderator: Rosalia Sciortino, Founder and Director, SEA Junction
Photo credit: Federation of General Workers Myanmar
*Prior reservation is encouraged. Please contact us to reserve your seat(s) or for more information.
Organizer
SEA Junction, established under the Thai non-profit organization Foundation for Southeast Asia Studies (ForSEA), aims to foster understanding and appreciation of Southeast Asia in all its socio-cultural dimensions, from arts and lifestyles to economy and development. Conveniently located at Room 407-8 of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre or BACC, SEA Junction facilitates public access to knowledge resources and exchanges among students, practitioners and Southeast Asia lovers. For more information, see www.seajunction.org, join the Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/1693058870976440/ and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @seajunction
Donor
Ship to Shore Rights South East Asia is a multi-country, multi-annual initiative of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN), implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with International Organization for Migration (IOM) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its overriding objective is to promote safe migration and decent work for all migrant workers in Southeast Asia, particularly in the fishing and seafood processing sectors. More information, see https://shiptoshorerights.org/
