PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has expressed interest to join Alliance 8.7 as a Pathfinder country to address the issues of forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking.
The Human Resources Ministry in a statement said the Cabinet had, on Nov 19 last year, agreed to the move under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Malaysia submitted a letter to the secretariat of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on March 31, 2022 regarding the country’s intention to become a Pathfinder country,” it said.
Alliance 8.7 was an inclusive global partnership committed to achieving Target 8.7 of the SDGs through recognition as a Pathfinder country.
Target 8.7 aims to ensure all countries take immediate action and steps to eliminate forced labour, child labour, modern slavery and human trafficking.
The ministry said Malaysia’s participation in the alliance proved its commitment and determination to achieving Target 8.7 and made Malaysia the second among Asean country to do so after Vietnam.
The decision to become a Pathfinder country was also in line with the objectives of the National Action Plan on Forced Labour (2021-2025) and the National Action Plan on Trafficking in Persons (2021-2025).
“Malaysia’s participation in Alliance 8.7 would also have a positive impact on Malaysia’s position in the Annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) as well as other human rights platforms,” it said, Bernama reported.
The ministry said Malaysia would cooperate with the UN and ILO by organising awareness and capacity-building programmes, as well as sharing good practices of other Pathfinder countries.
Therefore, the ministry also called on public and private organisations, workers and employers unions, civil society organisations, academic institutions and other stakeholders to be partners of the Alliance 8.7 in Malaysia.
Application for partnership can be made at the Ministry’s website at https://www.mohr.gov.my/index.php/ms/ by or before Oct 20.
“Organisations that pledged their intention to be partners of the Alliance 8.7 in Malaysia will be directly involved in the planning and implementation of the Alliance 8.7 Roadmap.”
A strategic planning workshop to develop the Alliance 8.7 Roadmap was expected to be held next month, it added.
