Viet Nam active in realizing Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

In a recent interview with VGP, Park Mihyung said that international migration as well as internal domestic migration in Viet Nam has long played a very important role in the nation's socio-economic development of Viet Nam and it will continue to do so.

Up to 5 percent of Viet Nam's GDP comes from remittances from international migration and that's only recorded remittance. The actual remittance is a lot more.

When migration is done in a safe, orderly and regular manner, the Vietnamese migrants who will go overseas, whether is for work, they will be able to make more money and be more productive and they be able to make skills and knowledge that they can bring back.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese migrants make great contribution to the destination countries so it is very important that is done in the right way.

The GCM is a very important achievement for the international community, which is the first inter-governmentally negotiated agreement, when all countries agreed that migration is a very sensitive issue.

"In Viet Nam, not only the Prime Minister has enacted the GCM implementation plan but majority of the provinces, localities and seven ministries have developed their own GCM implementation plans, and that's remarkable success", she noted.

That Viet Nam becomes the member of the UN Human Rights Council is a great achievement. It actually shows that Viet Nam is now really recognized at the international level. So international communities are looking at Viet Nam to see what they are doing in terms of human rights.

Awareness raising is key to promotion of safe migration

According to Park Mihyung, still not only in Viet Nam, but in many places, some of the migration happens in an irregular manner and they are all vulnerabilities and risk involved with that.

"It is very important to ensure that migration is done right so more benefits that can come to the Viet Nam and the migrants", she stressed.

Chief of Mission of IOM suggested that Viet Nam should foster cooperation and collaboration with the destination countries to do more on emphasizing the importance of rights of Vietnamese migrant workers.

And obviously, one very important aspect is trafficking in persons, she said, adding that trafficking in persons requires a lot of commitments from the Viet Nam government side, not only prevention but prosecution and protection policies.

Therefore, it is crucial that Viet Nam should provide more capacity and resources for the provinces as well as the relevant ministries to fight against trafficking in persons, she recommended.

Park Mihyung highlighted the significance of proper data in terms of trafficking in persons and other areas of migration as well as enabling legal framework that are updated in line with international standards in promoting safe, orderly and regular migration.

Meanwhile, Viet Nam should enhance capacity building of the provinces and ministries as well as increase expertise, resources and personnel to actually roll out and implement these legal policies.

Migration is all encompassing, so it is very important that there is good coordination, effort and collaboration among all localities, ministries and agencies to deliver good results.

Another is to include non-government actors, like international agencies, such as NGOs and others, because they also play a very important role.

The most important aspect is awareness raising, she stated, adding that Vietnamese who want to go abroad and Vietnamese who have returned or are already overseas need to be aware of their rights, what are the services that are available and what they can benefit.

IOM vows to support the Vietnamese Government as well as all relevant actors and migrants that they conduct safe, orderly and regular migration, told Park Mihyung.

IOM works on many areas such as a labor migration, trafficking in persons, health of migrants and also areas related to climate change.

Migration has to be and will be one of the crucial mechanisms in coping with climate change and the IOM is carrying out researches relevant to the issue.

In addition, IOM is working very closely with the communities so that they know safe migration, how to conduct safe migration and also working on legal framework related to labor migration or trafficking person.

IOM has carried out a project on migrant health component and expects to promote it. The organization joined hands with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health to develop a handbook for Vietnamese migrants, especially ones going to the main destination countries such as Japan and Republic of Korea.

"Not only IOM, but the whole UN family is very committed to supporting Vietnamese Government to achieve the goals and plans that the Government has made", she pledged.