The ILO has launched its groundbreaking STREAM Programme at a high-level event during the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar. The initiative, carried out in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the EU’s Foreign Policy Instrument and the Ford Foundation, aims to extend inclusive, gender-responsive and rights-based social protection to migrant workers and their families across the South Asia–Gulf corridor. Covering all six GCC countries along with Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India, the programme seeks to improve access to essential protections for one of the world’s largest migrant worker populations.
Migrant workers make up the vast majority of the workforce in Gulf countries, contributing significantly to the economies of both origin and destination nations. Despite ongoing reforms, many still struggle to access healthcare, maternity and unemployment benefits, or compensation for workplace injuries. The four-year STREAM Programme builds on global commitments to strengthen fundamental social protection rights and works toward ensuring that every migrant worker can effectively access these protections.
At the launch, partner representatives emphasized the importance of social protection for fair and equitable labour migration. Speakers highlighted the need for inclusive legal frameworks, better application of policies and strengthened regional cooperation. They stressed that efforts like STREAM are essential for creating meaningful change, ensuring non-discriminatory access to social protection and building sustainable systems that protect workers across borders.
Discussions also underscored the value of knowledge exchange between regions and adherence to international standards. Officials from the GCC highlighted the role of collaborative initiatives with the ILO in harmonizing labour mobility governance and enhancing capacity building. Others reinforced that migrant workers must have a voice in shaping policies that affect their livelihoods, especially those from vulnerable and marginalized groups.
The ILO noted that both sending and receiving countries share responsibility for reforming laws, improving access and negotiating agreements that uphold the dignity and rights of migrant workers. By bringing together governments, workers, employers, civil society and development partners, the STREAM Programme represents a new generation of cooperation aimed at building inclusive, portable and gender-responsive social protection systems.
Ultimately, STREAM seeks to drive long-term, transformative change by strengthening institutions and building resilient protection systems that address structural gender inequalities and barriers faced by migrant workers. It aims to create a future where migrant workers and their families can access social protection throughout the migration cycle, benefit from coordinated services, and rely on safeguards that remain portable and sustainable across borders.
