The International Labour Organisation (ILO), in collaboration with the US Department of Labour (USDOL), held a comprehensive training workshop on June 4-5, 2024, aimed at enhancing the capacity of journalists in reporting on forced labour and fair recruitment.

The workshop was held at the ILO office in Islamabad under the auspices of the BRIDGE project, an initiative focused on eliminating forced labour and promoting fair labour practices.

The two-day workshop brought together a diverse group of 25 journalists representing print, electronic, radio, and digital media platforms. Dr. Faisal Iqbal, the national project coordinator at ILO, and renowned journalist Aoun Sahi jointly led the training workshop.

Dr. Faisal Iqbal emphasised the significance of media in addressing the pressing issues of forced labour and fair recruitment. He explained the 11 indicators recognized by the ILO globally to identify forced labour, including abuse of authority, deception, movement, isolation, physical and sexual violence, intimidation and threats, and retention of identity thefts. "Globally, 28 million people were trapped in forced labour, according to the ILO," said Dr. Iqbal. "Forced labour is a criminal offence and a serious violation of fundamental human rights." He also highlighted the importance of social protection measures by the government to combat forced labour effectively.

Aoun Sahi provided journalists with extensive training on forced labour and labour migration, focusing on the role of media, story identification and pitching, finding relevant data and information, gender-sensitive and rights-based approaches, and effective storytelling techniques for different media platforms. He also discussed the importance of humanizing the story of forced labour and fair recruitment and interviewing survivors in light of ethical considerations. "Reporting on these subjects must be conducted with clarity and thorough research, and voices from all players must be included in the story," Mr. Sahi stressed.

Aoun Sahi also shared insights from an ILO report “Profits and poverty: The economics of forced labour” issued in March 2024, revealing that the annual costs and profits of forced labour globally amount to a staggering $236 billion. He further highlighted that 3.5 out of every thousand individuals worldwide are involved in forced labour, with industries, services, and agriculture being the top three sectors affected, according to the report.

Earlier, Geir T. Tonstol, the ILO Country Director, in his opening remarks emphasized the crucial role of media in raising public awareness about forced labour and promoting fair recruitment practices. "Media can be key influencers in shaping public perceptions about forced labour and labour migration," said Mr. Tonstol. He expressed concern over the prevalence of forced labour and bonded labour in Pakistan, with an estimated 3.4 million individuals subjected to such conditions. Mr. Tonstol also briefed the journalists on the four goals of ILO in Pakistan, which include employment for youth, social protection, international labour standards, and occupational safety and health.

The workshop concluded with participants showing keen interest and actively engaging in discussions, group work, and practical exercises throughout the two days.