Facts about YCOWA
YCOWA was founded in July 1999 by Burmese student activists and migrant workers, with the goal of improving working and living conditions for the Burmese migrant laborers in the Mae Sot area of Thailand. Since then, it has mainly focused on protecting worker rights, providing rights education, supporting health care and facilitating social activities.
YCOWA concentrates on activities that encourage workers to collaborate with each other to improve their living situations and working conditions. Currently YCOWA has 700 active members from 10 different factories. YCOWA has also got involved in the facilitation of the network of Burmese workers’ groups in Mae Sot, Bangkok and the southern provinces of Thailand.
In addition, YCOWA works with the Lawyer Council of Thailand, MAP Foundation, and other Thai and International NGOs to advocate for increased protection and rights for migrants from Burma. YCOWA is an active member of the Action Network for Migrants (ANM), a coalition of 15 Thai NGOs that focus on labor, health, and women’s rights. YCOWA is also a member of the Asian Transnational Corporation (ATNC) Monitoring Network, which comprises 13 members in eight Asian countries.
Aims and Objectives:
- To strengthen social relationships and solidarity among Burmese migrant workers
- To encourage Burmese migrant workers to self-organize and take collective actions for the protection of their rights
- To provide Burmese migrant workers in Thailand with legal advice and counseling, rights education and vocational training, health care and social services
- To facilitate the non-violent participation of migrant workers in the movement for democratic change in Burma
YCOWA’s activities include:
- Organizing Burmese migrant workers to promote and protect labor rights
- Working in collaboration with the Lawyer Council of Thailand, MAP Foundation and other Thai legal NGOs to provide legal assistance to workers in pursuing justice for exploitative working conditions, which include compensation for workplace injuries, unpaid wages and other forms of abuse.
- Organizing workshops and trainings on labour and human rights, democracy, organizational development, and community-organizing and vocational skills
- Assisting workers to find jobs
- Providing temporary shelter to workers who have lost their jobs, are ill, pregnant, or victims of sexual assault at the safe house in Mae Sot
- Coordinating social and religious events for Burmese migrant workers
- Publishing the monthly “Yaung Chi Oo Labor Affairs Journal” in Burmese
- Networking with both YCOWA branches, associated workers’ groups and trade unions in Thailand
- Informing the international community of the current situation of Burmese migrant workers in Thailand
- In the past seven years of its existence, YCOWA has accomplished the following:
- Provided legal assistance to female workers who were victims of rape. YCOWA also arranged the funeral of a fatal attack and collected evidence for legal action.
- Rescued victims of forced labor and human trafficking. YCOWA helped secure their release, negotiated their remuneration and facilitated their safe return to Burma.
- Set up a self-financed clinic in Mae Sot in 2002 and a mobile clinic in 2004 to provide free door-to-door health care services to Burmese migrant workers.
- Provided counseling and legal advice for workers who were dismissed from their jobs for requesting overtime pay or organizing worker strikes.
Achievements
- In 2004, YCOWA was honoured with the 8th Tji Hak-soon Justice & Peace Award of the Republic of Korea for its work in defending victims from unjust laws and human rights violations amidst difficult situations in the field.
- In 2003, YCOWA assisted 43 workers in winning legal battle against their employer for paying less than minimum wage, in the first successful legal case for Burmese migrant workers in Thailand.
- From 2001-2012, YCOWA, in coordination with the MAP Foundation and the Lawyer Council of Thailand, assisted 2383 workers in 157 cases, winning a total of 15,745,456 Baht in remuneration through Thai legal process.
YCOWA main office is located in Mae Sot, Thailand. There are 12 full-time staff members at the office and 20 volunteers in the field.
