THE Philippines and Indonesia have facilitated the adoption of a United Nations resolution calling for measures against violence against women migrant workers.

The UN’s Third Committee adopted by consensus the resolution Violence Against Women Migrant Workers which was tabled and facilitated by the Philippines and Indonesia, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

The resolution is expected to be adopted by consensus by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2023.

Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo presented the resolution, the DFA said in a statement.

The resolution “recognizes the immense value of the work of women migrant workers, while seeking to prevent and address the violence, discrimination and harassment that they often experience,” the DFA said. The resolution calls on governments to “put in place zero-tolerance policies and measures towards all forms of violence and harassment, racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance against migrant women,” the DFA said.

Lagdameo highlighted the role that digital technology may play in increasing the risk of violence faced by women migrant workers, the Foreign Affairs department said. He raised the need for member states to “establish or strengthen their policies and programs to provide access to technology and facilitate the training of women migrant workers on digital technology skills.”

Lagdameo cited the member states’ concern that women migrants, including those with irregular migration status, are “more likely to be forced to work under deplorable working conditions.” He also underscored the importance of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to “address inequalities that force women to migrate.”