Supported by IOM, the MoLE has developed a series of strategic documents on labour migration namely the National Labour Migration Management Assessment Report, the National Labour Migration Action Plan, the Bilateral Labour Agreement Guideline and the National Labour Migration Policy.
The documents were reviewed by the technical working group which consisted of both government and non-government institutes engaging in labour migration in the country.
IOM has recently published the HIV and TB integrated Biological and Behavioural Study for Migrant Mine Worker sending communities in Lesotho (2016-2017) and the Access to SRH services in migration affected communities of East and Southern Africa; Evidence from Migration and Health Programme.
The UN resident coordinator, Salvator Niyonzima, said labour migration has the potential to enhance migrants’ wellbeing if well managed.
‘’SDG Goal 10 aims to reduce inequality through SDG Target 10.7 facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies,” Mr Niyonzima said.
“When properly managed, labour migration management has far-reaching potential to enhance migrants’ well-being as well as contribute to development of their communities, the countries of origin and destination, thereby making labour migration a triple win scenario.”
‘’The importance of labour migration in development cannot be over emphasised. For Lesotho, labour migration has been part of our livelihood for a very long time.
“You will recall that our colonial masters designated Lesotho as a labour reserve when the diamond and gold mines were discovered in the Republic of South Africa. This situation has prevailed since then.
“The patterns have understandably changed but we remain a labour corridor into the Republic of South Africa,” Ms Rants’o said.
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