The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is now implementing a 4-year ‘Poverty Reduction through Safe Migration, Skills Development and Enhanced Job Placement in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Thailand’ project (PROMISE) funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). PROMISE’s overall goal is to assist migrants, especially women, from CLM countries in gaining employment opportunities, through enhanced skills and protection, leading to poverty reduction in communities of origin.

The PROMISE project, "improves and promotes safe migration and better working conditions by sharing and providing relevant information and knowledge related to safe migration and ethical recruitment standards", said Christian Engler, Deputy Country Director of SDC Lao PDR.

The National Project Advisory Committee Meeting presented project outcomes and activities undertaken during year 2019 as well as the action plan for year 2020. This meeting gathered inputs among participants from relevant government agencies, development partners, on how best to implement key activities under the project, to draw lessons learn from the past implementations and obtain suggestions from the participants.

Under its activities in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, PROMISE works closely with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MoLSW) as well as relevant departments at the provincial level.

PROMISE also works directly with relevant development partners, skills providers, and private sector institutions on key focused areas, which include, but are not limited to, TVET skills training for potential migrant workers in the hospitality sector, providing technical support on the revision of Decree 68, ethical recruitment training for recruitment agencies in country, and safe migration education and training.