The main objective of the training was to enhance the capacity of participants in managing labour migration through increasing their knowledge, skills and awareness on key areas of labour migration work and in understanding international labour migration. The OSCE/ILO/IOM “Handbook on Establishing Effective Labour Migration Policies in Countries of Origin and Destination” served as the main material for the training workshop curriculum, which was developed basing on materials of Training of Trainers in Georgia and experience of similar trainings in other countries involved in the project. The following topics were discussed: Understanding international labour migration; Developing polices in country of origin to protect migrant workers; Developing policies in country of origin to optimize the benefits of organized labour migration; Foreign labour admission / post-admission policies; Measures to prevent or reduce irregular labour migration; Armenian legal framework on labour migration; Armenian legal framework on readmission; and International legal framework for the protection of migrant workers and interstate cooperation.

The training was delivered for representatives of the Government Bodies involved in Migration Management, such as the Ministry of Labour and Social Issues and its State Occupation Service Agency, Ministry of Territorial Administration and its Migration Agency, Police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a separate training was delivered for representatives of Confederation of Trade Unions, Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen, private recruitment agencies and NGO-s involved in labour migration issues.

The training was delivered by Mr. William Barriga, Head of IOM’s Labour and Facilitated Migration Division and Mr. Jospeh Rispoli, Head of Technical Cooperation Unit, IOM Mission in Ghana. National trainers, trained during the 2007 ToT in Bakuriani, including representatives of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs; RA Ministry of Labour and Social Issues; RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Migration Agency, as well as IOM Armenia Migration Resource Center Director, were invited to deliver presentation on several sessions of the training workshop. In addition to this, an ILO Armenia representative had a presentation on international legal framework to protect migrant workers.

Since the two groups were different and displayed different levels of understanding of migration issues, different approaches were applied in relation to each part of the target audience.

The training workshops were interactive and a lot of discussions took place. Certificates were awarded to 28 successful participants of the National Training Workshops.

According to the participants, the main objective of the training was reached, and the participants even mentioned the importance of more training and hoped that similar events would be organized in the future by IOM. The participants also noted the central role IOM plays in reforms of migration management in Armenia. Taking into account IOM’s experience, it was also noted that IOM could take up the role for coordinating the government efforts in regulating and managing the field of migration.

To receive more detailed information about the initiative, please contact the IOM Mission in Armenia Media focal point at (+374 10) 585692, ext. 112 or kgalstyan@iom.am / iom@iom.am.