Ha Noi, Viet Nam, 04 January 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the Hanoi Women’s Union, successfully conducted a community outreach to promote safe and adequate living and working conditions to enhance the well-being of internal migrant workers. Four hundred migrant workers, representatives from the Central Viet Nam Women's Union, local government officials, semi-government agencies, business representatives, and landlords around the Quang Minh Industrial Zone, Me Linh District, Ha Noi, attended the event.

Me Linh District is home to approximately 3,500 workers in the Quang Minh Industrial Zone. In recent years, the number of migrant workers has fluctuated due to changing market demands following COVID-19. This has led to an influx of short-term workers from various provinces, particularly from ethnic minority communities. Many of these workers live in privately built rental houses that often do not meet safety standards. Although local authorities have plans to construct social housing for workers, these projects have yet to commence.

That's why the outreach event highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by internal migrant workers in securing decent housing. Providing increased support and resources is essential to ensure these communities can access safe and affordable accommodations, thereby improving their overall working and living conditions.

As part of the event, the Hanoi Women’s Union distributed handbooks about safe rental housing, jointly developed by IOM and the Women’s Union. These handbooks provide guidelines for decent and gender-responsive rental accommodations for internal migrant workers. They help workers identify safe housing, find quality rentals, and understand gender equality issues, while also equipping them with essential laws and obligations.

“Adequate accommodation is fundamental for the productivity and well-being of workers, especially migrant workers,” stated Aiko Kaji, Officer in Charge, IOM Viet Nam. “We encourage all stakeholders, including local governments, businesses and landlords, to contribute to fostering safe living conditions for migrant workers, which ultimately benefits the entire community.”

"The program contributes to raise awareness of compliance with female workers' labour safety laws among industrial parks' companies," Ms Le Kim Anh, Chairwoman of the Hanoi Women Union emphasized.

Participants also enjoyed cultural performances highlighting workplace safety and an interactive crossword quiz on labour laws and residency regulations. The event included a Q&A session led by the Deputy Head of the Hanoi Labour Federation, providing attendees with essential information about their rights and obligations.

The event ended with a call for more collective actions to enhance collaboration among all stakeholders, including local authorities, semi-government agencies, businesses, and landlords, to protect the rights of internal migrant workers while improving their labour and living conditions. Participants committed to continuing raising awareness within their communities and to working together to foster a supportive and secure environment for internal migrant workers.

This outreach event is part of the project “Promoting Safe and Adequate Accommodation for Internal Migrant Workers and Their Families in Viet Nam,” which was developed collaboratively by the Hanoi Women’s Union and IOM Viet Nam. This initiative is currently being piloted in the Dong Anh and Me Linh districts, which host large-scale industrial zones.

For more information, please contact Nguyen Thi Bao Chau at thibnguyen@iom.int.