Coordination of Action Research on AIDs and Mobility

CARAM Asia

A REGIONAL NETWORK OF

42 MEMBERS IN 18 COUNTRIES ACROSS ASIA, AND MIDDLE EAST, AND EMPOWERS MIGRANT WORKERS AGAINST HIV AND AIDS

CARAM Asia's Areas of Work

1. Research
2. Advocacy
3. Capacity Building
4. Awareness Raising
5. Services (Psycho-social and legal aid)
5.1 Enhancing Migrant Workers' Access to Justice
5.2.Enhancing Migrant Worker's Access to Health Services

CARAM Asia

incorporates a rights based
approach in promoting
and protecting migrants’ health
and labour rights with focus on HIV,
Srhr, and violence against
women workers

CARAM Asia is a regional network of 42 migrant and migrant support organizations in eighteen countries across Asia, including Middle East. CARAM Asia is a non-profit and non-governmental organisation (NGO), that educates, promotes and protects migrants’ labour and health rights with a focus on HIV&AIDS and SRHR issues since its establishment in 1997. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the CARAM Asia Secretariat works with its member organizations at regional level to work for advancement of migrant worker’s labour and health rights.

CARAM Asia is a regional network of 42 members in eighteen origin and destination countries spanning across Asia and the Middle East. CARAM Asia is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

CARAM Asia's task forces are prioritised in line with four key thematic areas:

1. Migrant Worker's Rights (MWR)
2. Migration, Health, HIV and Well-Being (MHH)
3. Migration, Development and Globalisation (MDG)
4. Migration Climate Change and Humanitarian Crisis (MCCHC)

Expanding CARAM Asia's Reach and Impact with the Global Health Council (GHC)

We are thrilled to announce that CARAM Asia has recently joined the Global Health Council (GHC) as a new member. This is a big step forward in our mission to gain global recognition for the health rights of migrant workers. CARAM Asia has significantly increased its efforts in advocating for health rights, specifically for HIV and SRHR issues among migrants in Asia, in the past two decades. CARAM Asia's inclusion in GHC presents a remarkable chance to broaden its reach and engage with stakeholders, advocating for the healthcare concerns of labor migrants on various platforms. GHC unites advocates, implementers, academics, corporate partners, and more to advocate for international health funding and policy. As a new member, CARAM Asia is looking forward to playing a crucial role in advancing GHC’s agenda. We strongly believe that this opportunity will provide significant recognition to CARAM Asia, allowing us to enhance our work through the many benefits of GHC membership. As a new member of GHC, CARAM is looking forward to actively engaging in GHC's advocacy efforts. We are eager to join forces with fellow member organizations to drive forward the cause of global health and overall well-being for everyone, with a special emphasis on migrant workers and marginalized communities aligning with the vision and mission of both GHC and CARAM Asia. We thank the Global Health Council (GHC) for welcoming CARAM Asia as a new member in 2024. We are looking forward to showing our unwavering passion for working with GHC this year and subsequent years.

Our Vision

All people have the right to stay or move and live and work in dignity with equal rights in a society, where their quality of life is ensured.

Our Mission

Empower:

To empower migrants, their families and communities throughout the migration process and build capacities of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) working for the promotion and protection of migrants’ health rights including sexual and reproductive health rights.

Evidence-based:

To utilise Participatory Action Research (PAR) to ensure inclusion of migrant voices and perspectives on HIV vulnerabilities, migrant health status and potential policy prescriptions for effective national and regional advocacy.

Rights-based :

To use the rights based approach in promoting and protecting migrant health through interventions to reduce all vulnerabilities and improve social determinants of health throughout the migration process.

Principles & Frameworks

CARAM Asia endeavours to institutionalise and incorporate a rights based framework from which to address migrants’ health concerns. Two other frameworks used in developing and implementing programmes are the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV (GIPA) principles as well as gender and sexuality frameworks.

Approaches

Four key thrusts and pillars which provide momentum to CARAM Asia programmes are Participatory Action Research (PAR), national and regional advocacy, coalition building and capacity building for CBOs and NGOs working with migrant communities.

These approaches provide an impetus for the development of research, publications, campaigns and policy prescriptions for CARAM Asia programmes.

PAR has assisted migrants in developing information tools which empowers them to understand, provide solutions and better manage their own situations. The real strength in PAR is that it is conducted by local communities for local communities.

Outputs from PAR are used for key regional advocacy and capacity building activities aimed at creating a regional response to improving the health and well-being of Asian migrant workers.

Board of Directors

Chairman

Ms. Carmelita G. Nuqui

Development Action for Women Network (DAWN),

PHILIPPINES

Treasurer

Mr. Andrew Virendra Samuel

Community Development Services (CDS),

SRI LANKA

Member

Ms. Jeanne D'Arc Hobeika

Migrant Services and Development (MSD),

LEBANON

Member

Mr. Sakiul Millat Morshed

Shikkha Shastha Unnayan Karzakam (SHISUK),

BANGLADESH

Member

Ms. Manju Gurung

POURAKHI, NEPAL

Member

Mr. Adrian Anthony Pereira

North South Initiative (NSI),

MALAYSIA

Member

Ms. Sumaiya Islam

Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra (BNSK),

BANGLADESH