In September and October 2024, MY Voice launched a capacity-building collaboration programme with 15 civil society organisations (CSOs) and unions. This programme aims to strengthen local leadership and improve labour rights in Malaysia’s palm oil and garment sectors.
Over the next year, MY Voice will provide these stakeholders with awareness-raising training and training-of-trainers on forced labour and child labour . The programme will also offer technical and financial support for CSOs and unions to organise advocacy and engagement activities in the worker communities they serve. This approach recognises the critical role of local leadership in worker rights initiatives, as these CSOs and unions, with their long-standing presence and continuous support to workers, are instrumental in improving labour conditions.
During the recent awareness-raising sessions, participants were introduced to the forced and child labour training modules developed by MY Voice, based on needs assessments with stakeholders and tailored to the local context. Additionally, the sessions served as an opportunity to introduce tools and approaches that could benefit participants in their future community training. All materials developed will be shared with the organisations for reference and use.
These training sessions also provided a valuable platform for CSOs and unions to gather, brainstorm, and network, fostering collaboration opportunities. Sharing insights from different areas, sectors, and community groups is essential for finding synergies and aligning common goals on a broader level.
Learn more about MY Voice’s Community Engagement Programme →
Following by these awareness-raising sessions, MY Voice will organise training-of-trainers sessions with these organisations, continuing the peer-learning process to effectively communicate and deliver training on forced and child labour to worker communities. This will include the development of tailored communication materials and events for targeted communities in November and December. Next year, we look forward to seeing our CSO and union collaborators launch and lead their advocacy activities for the worker communities!
Participating CSOs and unions
- Advocates for Non-discrimination and Access to Knowledge (ANAK)
- BC Initiative (BCI)
- Cahaya Society
- Etania Schools
- GEFONT
- Global Shepherd
- Humana Child Aid Society Sabah
- Perak Textile Union (Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Perusahaan Membuat Tekstil dan Pakaian, Perak)
- Penang Textile Union (Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Perusahaan Membuat Tekstil dan Pakaian, Pulau Pinang & Seberang Perai)
- North South Initiative (NSI)
- Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor (PSWS)
- Pravasi Nepali Coordination Committee (PNCC)
- Serantau
- Stairway to Hope
- Tenaga Kerja Indonesia (TKI)