At the 5th ASEM Labour and Employment Ministers’ Conference (ASEM LEMC5), on 3-4 December 2015 in Sofia, Bulgaria, ASEF presented its work on youth employment and labour protection – through its projects on youth entrepreneurship, migrant workers, and human rights and businesses – highlighting the importance of decent work for all. Moreover, 4 representatives from the 1st ASEF Young Leaders Summit (ASEFYLS) – an Australian, 2 Bulgarians and a Japanese – had the unique opportunity to share the Asia-Europe Call for Action on Entrepreneurship and Youth Employmentand partake as observers during the ASEM LEMC5.
In addition, ASEF also co-organised a panel with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) on Migrants Rights in an Unstable World at the 9th Asia-Europe Labour Forum which took place on 2-3 December 2015 in Sofia, ahead of the Ministers’ Conference.
Speakers at this panel included Secretary Imelda M. NICOLAS (Commission on Filipinos Overseas), Mr August GÄCHTER (Centre for Social Innovation), and Ms Sulistri AFRILESTON (Confederation of Indonesia Prosperity Trade Union).
The panel presented the findings and recommendations of the joint ASEF-FES publication, A Triple Win in Migration: Ensuring Migrant Workers’ Rights to Protect All Workers.