which has existed prior to the pandemic, asserting that not only does the study of MFA confirm this
fact, but so does the work that the ILO is doing in assessing the impact of the pandemic on migrant
workers.
The report also revealed the intrinsic lack of access to justice among migrant workers around this
issue. Nenette Motus, Regional Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) AsiaPacific underscores this reality saying, “This report is very timely and is a reality check for us. It
highlights that there is a continued lack of access to justice mechanisms further revealed in this time
of crisis. Undeniably, there is a need for increased, proactive, bilateral multi-stakeholder dialogue
and collaboration to address such situations [of wage theft] underlined by the data we all collect,
which we have the responsibility to collect.”
David Schilling, Senior Program Director of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR).
Schilling shared the same insight, pointing out the balance between data and the human cost of
wage theft found in the report. “We got to have that data to bring to governments, companies,
international organizations, to change polices so that access to justice … is embedded in the
systems internationally and at the national level.” In referring to the story of Dasharathi Barik,
Schilling stresses the urgency of the situation; “This is urgent, this is not something we can put on an
agenda for tomorrow, it is today.”
William Gois called upon the international community to take action on the systemic issue: "It is time
for us to look at how we want to take this forward. We need to make this a tipping point in our own
struggle for looking for justice for migrant workers; we must see what more needs to be done and
what more we can do."
The pandemic has devastated the lives of many migrant workers across the globe, leaving many of
them hopeless and with no options before them as they are left jobless and empty-handed. A year
after the breakout of the pandemic, they continue to face barriers in accessing justice, specifically
getting their wages in an expedited manner.
“Crying Out for Justice” is the first in a series of reports to be published by MFA based on their ongoing documentation of wage theft cases filed through their online documentation system available
on the Justice for Wage Theft website. The report will be published on a bi-annual basis.
As migrants’ rights advocates, we strongly urge you to share this report widely, particularly to
concerned stakeholders who are interested in supporting the campaign, in forming concrete, shortterm and long-term solutions that will help migrant workers retrieve their wages and achieve justice.
You may access the report via this link: https://bit.ly/3mLw6j1
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Migrant Forum in Asia
mfa@mfasia.org
+63 9209600916