Applications open for Migrant Worker Empowerment Grants

The MSO & CSO Empowerment – Migrant Worker Organising initiative provides funding support to grassroots civil society organisations and migrant support organisations working with migrant workers in the garment sector across Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The programme focuses on women worker leadership, labour rights protection, forced labour prevention, worker-led monitoring systems, and strengthening migrant worker organisations.

Selected organisations can receive funding of up to EUR 60,000 to implement activities that improve worker empowerment, awareness, protection mechanisms, and community-led advocacy.

About the MSO & CSO Empowerment – Migrant Worker Organising Initiative

The MSO & CSO Empowerment – Migrant Worker Organising initiative aims to strengthen organisations that support migrant workers in the garment sector, particularly women workers facing labour rights challenges, exploitation risks, and limited access to protection systems.

The programme supports grassroots organisations and migrant support groups to build stronger systems for:

• Worker empowerment.
• Labour rights awareness.
• Women’s leadership development.
• Forced labour prevention.
• Safe reporting mechanisms.
• Worker-led monitoring and case management.

The initiative focuses on creating stronger connections between migrant workers, civil society organisations, and monitoring systems that promote fair and safe working conditions.

Programme Objectives

The initiative aims to:

• Strengthen grassroots civil society organisations (CSOs) and migrant support organisations (MSOs).
• Increase participation of migrant workers in decision-making processes.
• Promote women workers as leaders and peer educators.
• Improve access to labour rights information.
• Prevent forced labour and exploitation.
• Support safe reporting systems for workplace violations.
• Strengthen evidence collection on migrant worker challenges.
• Improve gender-responsive approaches in worker protection programmes.

Key Focus Areas

Women Worker Leadership and Empowerment

The programme places strong emphasis on supporting women workers in the garment sector by:

• Developing women worker leadership skills.
• Encouraging women’s participation in worker organisations.
• Supporting women-led advocacy initiatives.
• Addressing gender-based workplace challenges.
• Increasing women’s confidence in reporting labour rights violations.

Migrant Worker Protection

Supported projects will help migrant workers access:

• Labour rights information.
• Protection services.
• Safe complaint mechanisms.
• Support against forced labour.
• Guidance on workplace rights and responsibilities.

Worker-Led Monitoring Systems

The initiative encourages migrant workers and grassroots organisations to participate in worker-led monitoring systems by:

• Identifying workplace risks.
• Documenting labour rights concerns.
• Reporting forced labour indicators.
• Providing community-level evidence.
• Supporting case management processes.

Forced Labour Prevention

Projects may address:

• Forced labour risks.
• Exploitative recruitment practices.
• Workplace abuse.
• Unsafe employment conditions.
• Retaliation against workers reporting violations.

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include organisations working in:

• Bangladesh.
• Sri Lanka.
• Thailand.

Eligible organisations include:

• Migrant self-organisations.
• Civil society organisations (CSOs).
• Migrant support organisations (MSOs).
• Women worker organisations.
• Community-based organisations.
• Labour rights organisations.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Experience supporting migrant workers.
• Understanding of garment sector challenges.
• Experience working with women workers.
• Ability to conduct community-based programmes.
• Capacity to manage grant-funded activities.

Target Groups

The programme primarily supports:

• Migrant workers in the garment sector.
• Women migrant workers.
• Worker leaders.
• Peer educators.
• Workers at risk of forced labour.
• Grassroots organisations supporting migrant communities.

Funding Details

Selected organisations can receive:

• Maximum grant amount: Up to EUR 60,000 per selected third-party project.

Funding can support activities related to:

• Organisational strengthening.
• Worker training.
• Community outreach.
• Leadership development.
• Advocacy.
• Awareness campaigns.
• Monitoring activities.
• Development of educational materials.

Supported Activities

Projects may include the following activities:

Organisational Capacity Building

Funding can support:

• Project management training.
• Grant management skills.
• Organisational development.
• Strengthening internal systems.
• Improving outreach strategies.

Peer-to-Peer Training

Projects can develop worker-led learning approaches through:

• Training migrant workers as peer educators.
• Community-based awareness sessions.
• Workplace information sharing.
• Worker leadership programmes.

Worker-Friendly Awareness Materials

Organisations can create resources covering:

• Labour rights.
• Forced labour prevention.
• Gender-based violations.
• Safe reporting procedures.
• Informed consent.
• Protection from retaliation.

Materials may be distributed through:

• Workplaces.
• Worker networks.
• Community organisations.
• Trade unions.
• Digital communication platforms.

Advocacy and Community Engagement

Supported activities may include:

• Migrant worker advocacy campaigns.
• Community meetings.
• Networking activities.
• Engagement with worker-led monitoring actors.
• Evidence-based policy discussions.

Expected Outcomes

Successful projects are expected to contribute to:

• Improved access to labour rights information.
• Stronger worker protection systems.
• Increased participation of migrant workers in monitoring processes.
• Better identification of forced labour risks.
• Stronger women worker leadership.
• Improved communication between workers and support organisations.
• Increased evidence from grassroots communities.

How to Apply / How the Programme Works

Organisations interested in participating should follow these steps:

1. Confirm organisational eligibility.
2. Ensure the proposed project supports migrant workers in the garment sector.
3. Develop a project plan focused on worker empowerment and protection.
4. Define activities, target groups, expected outcomes, and sustainability measures.
5. Prepare a realistic budget within the funding limit.
6. Submit the application according to programme requirements.

Strong proposals should clearly explain:

• The migrant worker challenges being addressed.
• The role of women workers and worker leaders.
• How activities will improve protection systems.
• How results will contribute to worker-led monitoring.

Project Deliverables

Selected projects are expected to deliver:

• Training and outreach plans.
• Peer-to-peer training sessions.
• Women worker leadership activities.
• Worker awareness materials.
• Documentation of labour rights concerns.
• Reports on forced labour risks and gender vulnerabilities.
• Summary reports with lessons learned and recommendations.

Why This Initiative Matters

Migrant workers in the garment sector often face challenges including limited access to information, workplace exploitation, unsafe conditions, and barriers to reporting violations.

This initiative matters because it:

• Strengthens grassroots worker organisations.
• Supports women’s participation and leadership.
• Improves labour rights awareness.
• Creates safer reporting pathways.
• Helps prevent forced labour.
• Builds stronger community-based protection systems.
• Encourages workers to participate directly in monitoring solutions.

Tips for a Strong Application

Applicants should focus on:

• Demonstrating previous experience with migrant workers.
• Highlighting women-focused approaches.
• Showing community-level impact.
• Including clear training strategies.
• Explaining sustainability beyond the grant period.
• Building partnerships with local stakeholders.
• Providing measurable outcomes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Submitting projects unrelated to migrant workers or the garment sector.
• Ignoring gender-responsive approaches.
• Providing unclear project outcomes.
• Lacking community engagement plans.
• Failing to explain how workers will participate directly.
• Proposing activities without sustainability strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the MSO & CSO Empowerment – Migrant Worker Organising initiative?

It is a funding programme that supports grassroots organisations working to improve migrant worker rights, protection, and empowerment in the garment sector.

Which countries are eligible for this programme?

Organisations operating in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are eligible to apply.

How much funding can selected organisations receive?

Selected third-party projects can receive financial support of up to EUR 60,000.

Who can apply for funding?

Eligible applicants include migrant self-organisations, civil society organisations, migrant support organisations, women worker organisations, community groups, and labour rights organisations.

Does the programme focus specifically on women workers?

Yes. Women worker leadership, empowerment, and protection are key priorities of the initiative.

What activities can funding support?

Funding can support organisational development, worker training, awareness materials, advocacy, outreach, leadership activities, and worker-led monitoring initiatives.

What is the main goal of the programme?

The main goal is to strengthen migrant worker organisations and improve workers’ ability to understand, protect, and advocate for their labour rights.

Conclusion

The MSO & CSO Empowerment – Migrant Worker Organising initiative provides important support for grassroots organisations working to protect migrant workers in the garment sector. By strengthening women’s leadership, improving labour rights awareness, preventing forced labour, and supporting worker-led monitoring systems, the programme aims to create safer, more inclusive, and empowered migrant worker communities across Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.