Charoen Pokphand Foods Pcl (CP Foods) and Fishermen Life Enhancement Center (FLEC) have continued partnership to promote and protect human rights among migrant fishermen and their families, eradicating modern slavery in Thai seafood industry.

Ms. Nattaya Petcharat, FLEC’s committee, said, in 2019, the center developed a training program on labour rights and related laws in 2019 for 742 migrant fishermen.

The training helped them to be able to advocate for their own rights as well as gaining access to social welfare such as social security and health insurance. Moreover, FLEC in collaboration with CP Foods educated fishers on waste sorting to promote ocean sustainability.

To boost their quality of life, it offers basic healthcare and first aid for migrant workers, servicing 291 cases and providing first aid kits to 57 fishing boats, covering 1,499 fisherman.

The center has provide family planning knowledge and basic education, offering course to over 30 migrant children each year. 90% of them have passed the basic education test from the Office of the Basic Education Commission. In 2019, 60 children attended the educational program.

In 2020, FLEC also plan to train migrant volunteers to assist lawyers and the center’s staffs on legal services, raising awareness on impact of substance abuse and encouraging fishing communities to actively participate in ocean sustainability, especially in marine waste management.

Mr. Wuthichai Sithipreedanant, Senior Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development of CP Foods, said the company has funded FLEC since its establishment in 2016 in an effort to tackle human trafficking and all forms of human rights violations.

Last year, CP Foods emphasized on ocean sustainability and, therefore, provided experts for marine waste management and first aid training programs. It also co-host a field trip for migrant children at Songkhla Zoo and CSR activity at Samila beach.

FLEC is a joint human rights project between five organizations, including the Fish Marketing Organization; Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives; Department of Labour Protection and Welfare; Family Planning Association of Thailand; Stella Maris Centre Songkhla and Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods).