Dili, 27 January 2026 – The Deputy Ombudsman for Good Governance, Rigoberto Monteiro, represents the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice (PDHJ) outlined the critical and complementary roles of the State, ASEAN, and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in protecting migrant workers during a key session of the “International Migration and Human Rights” workshop. Speaking on the topic “Protection Mechanism for Migrant Workers from the Perspective of the State, AICHR, and PDHJ (NHRI),” Monteiro highlighted Timor-Leste’s dual reality as both a country of origin for Timorese workers abroad and a destination for foreign labour, emphasizing the need for robust legal frameworks and effective enforcement.
The Deputy Ombudsman detailed the distinct obligations of each actor. He explained that the State’s primary duty is to respect and protect rights through national laws, structured overseas employment programs, and adherence to international conventions like the UN Migrant Workers Convention. For the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), the role is to foster regional cooperation, mainstream migrant worker rights across ASEAN pillars, and recommend stronger regional monitoring mechanisms. As the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), the PDHJ fulfils its mandate through its four core services: supervising public policy, protecting rights via complaint handling, promoting awareness, and prevention through monitoring.
Concluding his intervention, Monteiro highlighted ongoing challenges, including irregular migration, economic reliance on remittances, and weaknesses in implementing international treaties. He reinforced the PDHJ’s commitment to regional collaboration through the South East Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF) to develop cross-border protection mechanisms and advocate for bilateral cooperation, such as with Indonesia’s Komnas HAM, to ensure the rights of all migrant workers are upheld both at home and abroad.
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