Background
The JLMP was adopted by the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments in January 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of the Declaration and Plan of Action on Employment, Poverty Eradication, and Inclusive Development (AU/Assembly/AU/20(XXIV)/Annex 3). The programme is a comprehensive, long-term initiative jointly undertaken by the African Union Commission (AUC), International Labour Organization (ILO), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
JLMP serves as a strategic instrument to implement the 5th Key Priority Area of the Declaration and Plan of Action, with a focus on enhancing intra-African labour migration governance. This aligns with broader developmental goals, including the achievement of the First 2023 Ten Year Plan of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The programme was conceived in response to several identified challenges across African countries. These challenges include labour and skills shortages in certain sectors, juxtaposed with high unemployment rates and a burgeoning youth population in others, as well as the need for enhanced labour migration governance. The JLMP aims to address these disparities by fostering better labour migration policies and practices that can help balance the demand and supply of labour across the continent.
A significant aspect of the JLMP is its attention to the plight of female migrant workers, who constitute 46.1 percent of the migrant population in Africa. These women frequently find themselves in unremunerated roles at their destinations within the global economy, making them particularly vulnerable. The programme recognizes that female migrant workers are often relegated to the informal economy, which exacerbates their vulnerability due to the lack of legal protections and social security nets associated with informal employment.
The programme frames its approach to migration within a development agenda aimed at promoting inclusive economic growth and development across Africa. It seeks to ensure that migration positively impacts the development of both origin and destination countries, while safeguarding rights and well-being of migrant workers. Its comprehensive strategy encompasses policy development, capacity building, advocacy, and the facilitation of dialogue and cooperation among African states and relevant stakeholders.
Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the programme has implemented several projects, including:
JLMP Priority
To ensure a significant and realistic launch of the Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP), a Three-Year Project known as ‘JLMP Priority was developed and launched in 2018. The primary goal is to improve the governance of labour migration to achieve safer, orderly, and regular migration in Africa, in alignment with relevant African Union (AU) frameworks, Regional Economic Commissions (RECs), international labour conventions, and other cooperation processes.
Objectives of the JLMP Priority:
The JLMP Priority prioritizes four specific objectives closely drawn from the JLMP:
1. Outcome 1: Enhanced effectiveness and transparency of operations of labour migration stakeholders, such as labour market actors and institutions, migration authorities, in consultation and cooperation with workers and employers’ organizations, the private sector, recruitment industry and relevant civil society organizations, in delivering improved labour migration governance services.
2. Outcome 2: Improved policy and regulatory systems on labour migration at Member State (MS) and Regional Economic Communities (REC) levels and considering the gender dimension and relevant international human rights and labour standards.
3. Outcome 3: Multi-stakeholder policy consultation and practical coordination on labour migration and mobility to provide advisory support to MS, AU and REC decision makers; and
Outcome 4: Strengthened capacity of the AUC for continental and regional operational leadership in labour migration management including spearheading/steering the implementation of the JLMP at all levels.
JLMP Action and JLMP Lead
JLMP Action (2021-24) is fully defined as Catalytic Actions for the AU/ILO/IOM/UNECA Joint Programme on Labour Migration Governance for Development and Integration in Africa, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). JLMP Lead (2022-25) is fully defined as Labour, Employment and Mobility Actions of the AU-ILO-IOM Programme on Labour Migration Governance for Development and Integration in Africa, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
The projects have the following outcomes:
Outcome 1: Strengthened effective, rights-based, and gender-responsive governance and regulation of labour migration and mobility for migrant workers of all gender identities in Africa.
Outcome 2: Female and male migrant workers in both formal and informal sectors enjoy safe, humane, & secure working environments, access to and portability of social protection and social benefits, & mutual recognition of skills and qualifications.
Outcome 3: Improved availability and increased utilization of labour migration disaggregated data & statistics by MS and RECs for evidence-based decision-making, policy planning, formulation, and application.
Outcome 4: Strengthened governance and accountability of the JLMP.
