Newsroom24x7 Desk

Melbourne : Australian government has taken an initiative in promoting labor mobility in the region of South-East Asia. as declared by the Ministry of External Affairs of Australian Government, Australia will support a new project to promote safe and legal labor mobility in South-East Asia. The $20 million project, known as ‘TRIANGLE II’, will run for a decade, ranging from calendar year of 2015 to 2025. TRIANGLE II would be implemented by the International Labour Organization. It would help countries from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in strengthening their migration systems while protecting migrant workers from exploitation.

Data record reveals that almost six million people within the ASEAN region have traveled to other ASEAN nations for work. These workers contribute as a driving force towards helping regional economic growth although often work in sectors of the economy with a higher risk of exploitation.

A key part of Australia’s regional aid program in South-East Asia, TRIANGLE II would assist ASEAN countries to reform their migration policies and legislation, provide legal and financial advice to migrant workers and help reduce the costs for migrant workers of sending wages home. Activities under this program would be focused within six ASEAN countries – Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia and Laos. The four other ASEAN countries – Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Brunei – would also participate through regional migration forums.

The announcement builds on TRIANGLE I, a $10 million Australian Government project which has assisted around 62,000 migrant workers access legal advice and support over the past five years.