Laos LIDC migration PSD

Laos population of …

6.8 million

in … - … Laos-born emigrants abroad and only … immigrants in Laos

2013, 1.29 million, 20,000

…% employed in agriculture

73

member of … since …

ASEAN, 1997

estimated … in remittances in … which help ..% of families below poverty line

$60 million, 2014, 22

top 4 immigration countries with … in Laos for each country

Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Thailand, <10,000

top 5 immigration countries

Thailand, USA, Bangladesh, France

pull factors to Thailand

Interdependence

Opportunities

• migration corridor one of largest in ASEAN so stimulates economic and political cooperation - trade, investment, dev projectsa and security

• bilateral relations with Vietnem - involved in over 400 investment projects in L

• remittances v important - 22% below poverty line

• political stability imroving between Laos, Thailand and Vietnam

Challenges

• most econ migrants are loew-skilled with limited education and under 18 - many travel illegally and vublnerable to human trafficking, forced labour and exploitation

  • L govt policy has been difficult to implement and depends on transnational governance by organisation e.g. IOM, ILO and Civil Society

• loss of skilled labour e.g. carpenters and mechanics to Thailand - set to increase

  • L garment industry largest sector of manufacture and employment but many young female workers may leave

in … …% of population were under 15

2015, 36

in … underage footballers were trafficked from … to L to play for …

2015, Liberia, Champassa

Migration policies - human trafficking

• Laos PDR ministry of labour and social wlefare + Ministry of public security work with IOM, UN e.g. Unicef, UN women and NGOs e.g. care international, Save the Children to implement more stringent anti-trafficking policies

  • prevention - awareness and education, alleviation of poverty

  • protection - reparation + reintegration of returning migrants e.g. shelters for women + counselling

  • prosecution - investigation of trafficking networks, training border officials, strengthening legal framework