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IOM Supports the Labour Relation Authority in the Maldives to Combat Trafficking and Labour Exploitation

Attendees at the capacity building session. Photo: IOM

The attendees present at the training session. Photo: IOM

Malé – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized a series of capacity building workshops on countering trafficking and labour exploitation for the Labour Relation Authority (LRA) in the Republic of Maldives from 23 – 26 October 2022.

Aimed at helping the country’s labour inspectors to better monitor and regulate labour recruitment agencies and employers, the workshops contributed to ensuring a safer and more regular framework for labour migration. As such, the training increased the capacity of the LRA to act within their mandate in tackling trafficking for labour exploitation and promoting the diversification of actors working on this issue.

Over the course of the workshops, IOM provided attendees with a refresher course on the relevant legal frameworks of labour migration and labour inspection practices. The exercises also addressed some of the most at-stake labour and trafficking issues in the country.

Additionally, through a series of practical case studies of labour abuse and exploitation based on cases detected by the LRA, the participants had the opportunity to identify best practices and lessons learned and explore better approaches moving forward

Shedding light upon IOM’s interventions to combat trafficking and labour exploitation, Sarat Das, Chief of Mission to IOM Sri Lanka and the Maldives, reaffirmed that “IOM will continue to advocate for balanced and rights-based approaches to further improve the Maldives’ effectiveness in preventing and combating trafficking in persons and forced labour, as well as addressing gender-based violence.”

This training was financially supported by the United States Department of State – Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Person, under the project “Combating Trafficking in Persons Maldives” implemented by IOM Maldives.

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For more information, please contact: Rohit Ayyer, Project Officer, IOM Sri Lanka and Maldives at rayyer@iom.int or Fathimath Waheeda, Project Assistant, IOM Sri Lanka and Maldives at fwaheeda@iom.int

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