Accra, Ghana – On 5 June 2024, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ghana, in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and with funding from the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), launched a new project to improve labour migration governance and ethical recruitment practices in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria. The project aims to enhance migrant workers’ protection and promote rights-based regular pathways for labour migrants in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria where migrant workers share similar migratory experiences.

Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations for Ghana, Hon. Dr. Festus Awuah Kwoffie, said during the project launch: “We need to protect migrant workers and ensure they have access to decent work opportunities so that both the migrants and the communities involved can benefit from labour migration.” The Deputy Minister stressed the obligation to strengthen labour market information systems and ensure that migrant workers are adequately protected and can contribute positively to society. He said: “We are confident that this collaboration will lead to meaningful improvements in labour migration governance and set a new standard for ethical recruitment practices in Ghana and beyond.”

The project aims to address instances of exploitative employment of migrant workers while building the capacity of government officials, public employment centres, private recruitment agencies and employers, to protect migrant workers’ rights and promote their access to decent work opportunities.

Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Togo, and Benin, Her Excellency Simone Giger, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project. "This initiative is crucial for improving the conditions and protection mechanisms for migrant workers in the three project countries as well as in the West and Central African region. By addressing unethical recruitment practices, we can ensure safer and more dignified migration pathways," she said.

The project’s approach is inspired by the International Recruitment Integrity System (IRIS), IOM’s flagship initiative to promote ethical recruitment of migrant workers. IRIS operates through a comprehensive programmatic framework that works with governments, the international community, the private sector (brands, employers, and recruiters) and civil society to establish ethical recruitment as the norm in cross-border labour migration

IOM Chief of Mission to Ghana, Togo, and Benin, Ms. Fatou Diallo Ndiaye, said: "The project aligns with IOM's strategic objectives, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact for Migration. Facilitating regular pathways for migration is essential to harnessing the full potential of human mobility. By providing safe and legal routes, we can protect the rights of migrants, reduce the risks associated with irregular migration, and foster economic and social development both in origin and destination countries. "

The event included a presentation of the project activities, a Q&A session, and the signing of the project contract between IOM and the SDC. The launch introduced stakeholders to the planned activities, fostered greater buy-in for successful implementation, and created visibility for the initiative.

The launch event took place at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations in Accra, Ghana, and was attended by key stakeholders including government officials, representatives from the Swiss and the Ivorian Embassies in Accra, IOM staff from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria, and members of the media.

Read more about the project here.

For further information please contact Mr. Eric Akomanyi, Project Manager at IOM Ghana, via email eakomanyi@iom.int