Asia-Pacific

The Forum against FTAs has issued a Solidarity Statement in favour of the workers, trade unions and independent federations across India joining together in a historic general strike on 8-9 January. The Forum believes India's flawed trade and investment policies have contributed to deepen the crisis that workers are currently facing.

On 8-9 January, Indian workers and their trade unions are holding a two-day nationwide general strike to protest against "anti-labour, anti-people and anti-national policies " of the Modi government. PSI extends full support and solidarity to its affiliates, other unions and the workers of India participating in the strike action.

In an Op-ed published around the world, Geneviève Gencianos, PSI Migration Programme Coordinator, writes about public service workers who are at the frontline providing basic services to migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. It is through public services that we can fight inequality and build resilient and inclusive societies.

PSI, together with five other Global Union Federations, strongly condemn the sentence against the six independent trade union leaders in Cambodia and call for the convictions to be immediately voided.

Hundreds of people including policy-makers, academics and civil society activists gathered for the Global Conference on Primary Health Care at Astana, Kazakhstan on 25-26 October. This was to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first International Conference on Primary Health Care, which was held in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan.

The Indian government launched what it describes as the largest health insurance scheme in the world, in September. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the 'Ayushman Bharat -Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)' programme will provide health cover to the tune of 500,000 rupees ($6,900) a year for the poorest 100 million families in the country.

“In the face of conflict and climate related migration, we uphold the human right to quality public services in welcoming migrants and supporting inclusive and resilient communities.”

17 December 2018 marks the approval by the UN General Assembly of the United Nations Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). A result of a series of thematic discussions and formal consultations conducted by the UNHCR from 2017 through 2018, the GCR aims to strengthen the international response to large movements of refugees and protracted refugee situations.