2022 Conference Outcome Documents

The SEA Forum is a non-binding voluntary multi-stakeholder initiative to strengthen coordination among the stakeholders in South-East Asia to promote safe and fair labour migration and decent work in the fishing and seafood sector through an integrated, holistic, human rights-based and practical approach.

The objectives of the SEA Forum are:

a. To promote and facilitate collaboration, and social dialogue based on the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining in line with ILO Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No, 98), as well as good industrial relations, sustainable economic development, decent work and social protection in the fishing and seafood processing sectors

b. To promote safe labour migration and decent work in the fish and seafood supply chain in South-East Asia by strengthening coordination and increasing the efficiency and efficacy of the efforts already underway at the national and regional levels between government, employers, workers, and civil society organizations.

c. To promote human rights, fundamental principles and rights at work, and other relevant international standards and obligations, such as in the ILO Fundamental Conventions and the UN Protocol to Prevent Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children for South-East Asian fishers and workers in the fish and seafood supply chain.

d. To strengthen cooperation between Members from origin and destination States, transit States, port States, flag States, and market States on labour migration governance to facilitate safe, regular and orderly migration consistent with international labour standards.

e. To develop regional protocols and a clear division of responsibilities to strengthen the exercise of the respective jurisdiction of flag States, port States and labour-sending States, particularly in relation to inspections of vessels, interventions, direct assistance, including support to migrant workers and fishers who are abandoned in a State of which he or she is not a national.

f. To promote gender equality and women empowerment in the fish and seafood supply chain, including through enhanced participation of women at all levels of dialogue and decision making, and addressing the specific decent work deficits faced by women, men, and workers with diverse sexual orientation and gender identity.

g. To promote meaningful access to justice for fishers and workers in the fish and seafood supply chain, including free or affordable complaint mechanisms in cases of alleged abuse of their rights, effective and appropriate remedies where abuse has occurred, and to strengthen and promote mutual legal assistance among governments, bilateral assistance between workers and employers’ organizations.

h. To promote the ratification and effective implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention (No. 188), Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention, 2014 (P029), the Private Employment Agencies Convention (No. 181), Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No, 98), Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) and other instruments relevant to the promotion of safe labour migration and decent work in the fish and seafood supply chain and ensure coordination among agencies at the national, regional, and international levels.

The SEA Forum consists of a multi-stakeholder Membership. It is guided by a Steering Committee, and a Secretariat, with Ad Hoc Working Groups that can be convened to coordinate for action on areas of common interest and cross-cutting themes and issues.

• Plenary Resolution of 7 September 2022
• Terms of Reference, Southeast Asian Forum for Safe Migration and Decent Work in the Fishing and Seafood Processing Sectors (the SEA Forum)
• Participants List