Empowering consular officials, diaspora desk officers, and labour attachés in the Arab States to champion migrant workers’ protection

Beyond the Desk: Empowering Consular Officials, Diaspora Desk Officers, and Labour
Attachés in the Arab States to Champion Migrant Workers’ Protection is a practical guide
developed within the framework of the Ghana component of the International Labour
Organization (ILO) Integrated Programme on Fair Recruitment (FAIR II). FAIR, a global
programme established in 2015 to support the implementation of the ILO Fair Recruitment
Initiative Strategy, promotes fair recruitment practices in selected countries of origin and
destination and across key labour migration corridors.

In its current phase, implemented with the support of GIZ, FAIR II seeks to strengthen
stakeholder ownership and facilitate the replication and scaling up of promising practices
in migration corridors where partners are committed to improving recruitment systems
and outcomes. This guide has been developed specifically to support Ghanaian consular
officials, labour attachés, and diaspora desk officers posted in the Arab States in protecting
the rights of migrant workers in contexts shaped by Kafala and other sponsorship-based
systems, while promoting respect for the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
(FPRWs).

While grounded in the experiences and institutional context of the Ghana–Arab States
labour migration corridor, the approaches, tools, and guidance presented in this
publication address challenges common to many countries of origin in the region. As such,
the guide is intended not only as a resource for Ghana but also as a reference that can be
adapted, expanded, and applied by other countries seeking to strengthen the capacity of
their diplomatic and consular missions to support and protect migrant workers abroad.
The work undertaken under the Ghana corridor reflects the four pillars of the ILO Fair
Recruitment Initiative Strategy by strengthening knowledge and policy guidance on
recruitment processes, supporting improvements in laws, policies and enforcement
mechanisms, promoting fair business practices, and enhancing migrant workers’ access to
reliable information and services throughout the recruitment process.

Designed for use in day-to-day mission practice, briefings, training programmes, and
coordinated case management with partners in countries of origin and destination, this
guide aims to support informed and practical decision-making while reinforcing a
consistent and rights-based approach to migrant worker protection. It is hoped that the
experiences and lessons generated through its use will contribute to stronger institutional
cooperation, enhanced capacity-building efforts, and continuous improvements to
recruitment and employment systems across the region, ultimately making labour
migration safer, fairer, and more firmly grounded in dignity and human rights.