6/22/2021 South Asia’s migrants share problems, share solutions | Nepali Times He adds that recruiter associations across South Asia need to hold a dialogue to collectively understand what the differences in recruitment policies and regulations are and if there are possibilities to converge. There are other areas that call for more collaboration: domestic worker issues, skills and orientation related partnerships or data sharing systems. A common voice across sending countries has its merits, both to strengthen collective bargaining by elevating certain priorities but to also ensure the effectiveness of unilateral approaches. The limits of our unilateral policies in making a tangible difference in the transnational space is quite evident as domestic workers continue to bypass restrictive emigration policies, workers continue to pay high recruitment costs and be victims to unpaid wages, poor working and living conditions, to name a few. And now Covid-19 has added more complications to an already complex recruitment and employment system, and demanded a more collaborative approach. Perhaps a good place to start is to collectively consider details testing, quarantine and vaccines which are unchartered territories, but shared concerns: Who bears the costs of testing and quarantine of migrants? How will we ensure vaccines reach the most vulnerable workers such those without paperwork who are getting pushed further into the shadows? Take Malaysia, for example. Last week, immigration authorities in hazmat suits rounded up and detained 156 undocumented migrants (https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/577908) and sprayed them with disinfectant. Of them, 62 were Bangladeshis, 20 Nepalis and one Indian and Pakistani each. The action was condemned by the civil society and migrant community. M. from Bangladesh has lived in Malaysia for the last two decades, runs an electronic repair shop and has become an important source of informal support for Bangladeshis. On the recent raids during lockdown, he told us: “The government of Malaysia needs to realise that raiding undocumented workers will not yield results. There are just too many of them and random spot raids will not cover them all.” Malaysia’s recalibration program (https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepalis-inmalaysia-to-gain-from-amnesty/) that was supposed to either allow undocumented workers to legalise their status and remain in Malaysia or to leave as part of an amnesty was 58 Shares https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/south-asias-migrants-shared-problems-share-solutions/ 14/19