ILO's MARs Joint Meeting with HDRF, MAP Foundation, AWO, YCOWA and Myanmar Migrant Workers

On November 11, 2025, the ILO MARs Project (Migrant Advocacy for Rights Project) and the Council of Employees' Organizations held a joint meeting with the Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF), along with the labor networks MAP Foundation, AWO (Arakan Workers Organization), YCOWA (Yaung Chi Oo Workers' Association), and representatives of migrant workers. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange information and discuss policy concerning the labor situation in Special Economic Zones (SEZ), including strategies to promote migrant workers' access to the rights of collective bargaining and association. Beyond providing practical legal aid and protecting labor rights, HRDF plays a crucial role in policy advocacy to drive the creation of a system that facilitates migrant workers' participation and builds sustainable equality in the Special Economic Zones. This is because when all groups of workers receive fair rights, it positively impacts the local economy and society as a whole.