Speech of Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN Mrs.Mirgul Moldoisaeva on the side event on topic Workers on the Move: Quest for Social Justice

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I’m greeting You all on our side-event dedicated to the topic Workers on the Move: Quest for Social Justice which take place in framework of the World Social Justice Day commemoration.

Support and acknowledgment of the Kyrgyzstan’s initiative on establishment of the World Social Justice Day by international community shows commitment of the UN member states to the idea of further efforts’ strengthening in such spheres like poverty eradication, full employment, decent work, gender equality, social prosperity and social justice for everyone.

            I would like to express a special gratitude to International Labour Organization for active participation in arrangement of this side-event. Without your help this event and the World Social Justice Day would be both impossible.

Also, I want to thank Her excellency Mrs. Louse Arbour, Special Representative of the UN General-Secretary, for active participation and interest in the today’s event.

And of course, I want to express my gratitude to all participants. Your presence here today proves Your sincere interest and desire to develop cooperation for improvement situation with labor migrants’ rights.

Since the independence Kyrgyzstan has been facing the phenomenon of labor migration as one of consequences of the country’s integration into the global labor market.

Process of departure of Kyrgyz nationals to other countries for earning money was the result of wide range of social and economic reasons.

Despite of gradual improvement of economic situation and political stabilization the labor migration remains important factor of Kyrgyzstan’s development.

According to different research a number of labor migrants varies from five hundred to seven hundred thousand men. And according to data of International Federation for Huma Rights (FIDH) in 2016 more than 40 per cent of this number were women. Such figure makes migration from Kyrgyzstan unique among other countries of Central Asia where the women’s percentage is lower (approximately 20% for Uzbekistan and Tajikistan).

In search of decent earnings and better life conditions labor migrants are heading to neighboring countries with higher economic growth and workforce demand in first place. The Kyrgyz labor migrants depart for Russian Federation (400 or 500 thousand labor migrants), Kazakhstan (50-80 thousand), Republic of Korea (14 thousand), Turkey (14 thousand) and other countries.

In 2017 the amount of financial transactions to Kyrgyzstan from labor migrants was between 1.2 and 1.5 billion US dollars which equals one-third of the national GDP. Such financial flows play important role in Kyrgyzstan’s economy. Moreover these financial transactions are in agenda of different high-level meetings which shows their important influence on economies of many countries.

In addition to money flows a labor migration lowers unemployment rates in Kyrgyzstan which gives positive effect of social situation within the country.

Furthermore, due to labor migration Kyrgyz citizens got opportunities for self-realization and access to high-paid job positions. We can see and hear reports of news agencies about labor migrants’ successes in different spheres of economic and social life.

At the same time labor migrants from Kyrgyzstan have to use illegal or semi-legal ways to arrive in foreign countries and get job only in order to provide themselves and their families with money. Because of lack of necessary documents labor migrants have to agree with illegal job position with dangerous and hazardous working conditions. As the result they become victims of frauds, absence of salaries or their delays. In case of injuries and health problems labor migrants can’t get necessary medical assistance. In addition, they become victims of criminals but cannot get help from law enforcement bodies because of their own status.

In order to change such situation Kyrgyzstan promotes coherent internal and foreign policy aimed at improvement of situation with labor migrants.

On national level Kyrgyz Republic launched the program called "Zhany Doorgo Kyrk Kadam" which can be translated as "Forty steps towards a new époque". The main goal of this program is improvement of life conditions for Kyrgyz citizens. In framework of this program the Government of Kyrgyzstan implements the initiative called "Meken-card" aimed at creation of favorable conditions for the compatriots living abroad to visit Kyrgyzstan. At the same time a project of website which will help Kyrgyz citizens to contact with a migration service body for consulting is on a stage of implementation.

Important step in foreign policy was Kyrgyzstan’s accession to Eurasian Economic Union in 2015. Membership in this integration group contributed to streamlining of migrant flows and brought relief to a current situation of labor migrants. In particular, common rules and regulations of labor migration has been established and this process is being continued. Access to social guarantees such as medical service for migrants is also facilitated. Other important achievement was mutual recognition of education diplomas of the EEU member states which let labor migrants find job position suitable their professional skills. Also a labor migrant can expect a decent retirement pension in his motherland after years of work in one of the Union’s member states.

Currently Kyrgyz party continues to deepen cooperation on labor migration issues in framework of the EEU.

An example of the EEU shows that only cooperation can solve current issues of labor migration and labor migrants in their quest for social justice. And this is the position of Kyrgyz Republic.

Apart from it Kyrgyzstan is the member of such international organizations as International Labour Organization and International Organization for Migration. Kyrgyz Party has an opinion that cooperation of framework of these organizations helps find common and effective solutions to important issues in sphere of labor migration.

I’m confident that the today’s side-event dedicated to the labor migrants’ quest and achievement of social justice will contribute to process of search of effective and mutually beneficial solutions of labor migrants’ problems.

I wish everyone a good luck and fruitful work.

Thank you.

Closing speech of the Permanent Representative of Kyrgyz Republic to the UN on the side event Workers on the Move: Quest for Social Justice in framework of World Social Justice Day.

Kyrgyz Republic express gratitude to all participants of the today’s event.

We are very happy to witness open and fruitful dialogue on topic of labor migrants’ quest for social justice.

Globalization of world economy and formation of common labor market will demand from all members of the world community to seek further effective and common solutions to challenges of labor migration in future.

I’m sure that statements, comments and, mainly, solutions and thoughts announced today will contribute to search process of solutions to current issues of labor migration.

To my mind, World Social Justice day is one of the best reasons to continue promotion of dialogue through organization of similar events.

Thank you.