Policy Interventions on Migrant Workers’ Resilience Against Public Health Crisis: A Case of Singapore and Hong Kong
Ruoming Fang, Yujie Wang, Adolphus Lau, Shen Chen
Honorable Mention, 2020 International Case Analysis Competition of Public Policy on SDGs, Tsing University School of Public Policy and Management
Abstract
Migrant workers undergird the economies of today’s metropolises by providing many basic services at low costs and ensuring their economic competitiveness. However, they are often marginalized and discriminated against, therefore lacking resilience towards major risks. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, migrant workers are among the most vulnerable groups. Unfortunately, further discrimination on the policy level has aggravated the situation, making them bear the brunt of the pandemic. Using Singapore and Hong Kong as two prominent examples, we conducted our study through a meticulous collection of policy documents and interviews with local stakeholders. We then used multiple theories to analyze the interactions between stakeholders, assess whether current practices are justified, and raise suggestions for future improvements. We argue that though the current plight of migrant workers is a rational policy equilibrium, it is ethically questionable, and cities need to take actions like bi-lateral cooperations to ensure the long-term sustainability of this workforce.
Final Presentation link: https://wx.vzan.com/live/tvchat-1879371111?shareuid=153887565&vprid=0&sharetstamp=1612032650150#/
