Introduction
Middle East Centre for Training and Development celebrates its anniversary during the month of May of every year. The Centre has been a key actor in migration and development over the past 12 years and continues to recognise and leverage the strategic value of multi-stakeholder engagement across local, regional, and international spheres. MECTD continues to be committed to building the capacity of its stakeholders on domestic and international labour standards, and through its global, regional, and local engagements, can propose policy reforms for worker well-being. The centre’s close engagement with multiple government entities in the Emirate of Dubai, private sector partners in multiple areas including delivery sector, construction, security, and service sectors, and worker communities allows the centre to advocate for a whole-of-society approach and contribute to the field of labour migration through a holistic approach. This report highlights the centre’s activities throughout the year 2025, and sheds light on developments and progress within the centre’s projects and engagements across the year. The Centre continues to frame its migration and development programming through a strong labour protection lens, in partnership with civil society actors across regions, whose engagement informs and strengthens international standards.
In 2025, the centre was able to reiterate its commitments further by enhancing its training and capacity building initiatives to wider worker sectors and built on its earlier programs geared towards lower-income worker communities in the Emirate of Dubai to promote safer migration experiences. The centre develops its guidance on the laws and regulations on residency and labour through robust curriculums established in partnership with various government authorities including the Dubai Police, Dubai General Directorate of Identity and Foreigner’s Affairs, Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization, Dubai Health Authority, and the Community Development Authority, among others – members of the Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs in Dubai under the Executive Council. The programs expand and cover a wide variety of sectors due to the private sector partnerships with government entities that have progressed through a robust multi-stakeholder engagement in the Emirate of Dubai. These partnerships cement the whole of society approach that the centre believes in, and is what continues to play a pivotal role in enhancing the knowledge and awareness of workers in the Emirate – particularly job seekers newly moving into the economy, and resident permit holders, to ensure they are fully prepared with knowledge and deeper understanding of cultural, legal, and health and safety knowledge needed to be able to live and work in the United Arab Emirates.
MECTD expanded its awareness sessions during 2025 and continued to acquaint workers across various industries on UAE’s laws and regulations in collaboration PCLA and its government members. Throughout the year 2025, the centre conducted more than 141 sessions in total, educating more than 4637 workers in the transport, construction and delivery sectors – constituting an increase of 38% from the previous year.
MECTD took part in various crucial international migration dialogues across the year 2025. Beginning with its engagement with global civil society partners in discussions around the preparatory consultations on the Global Forum on Migration and Development with civil society partners, as well as the preliminary engagements on the International Migration Review Forum that is set to take place in May 2026. MECTD also participated across regional Consultative Processes with the Abu Dhabi Dialogue platform in 2025 to bring its own experiences to the regional context.
MECTD also enhanced its research and study capacities, where a study was conducted by the center on information gaps in awareness and training information focused on Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) pre-departure and post-arrival orientation. The study was selected for presentation at the Bits Pilani Diamond Jubilee Celebration 2024, at its 2025 International Migration Conference. A second study that was drafted in 2024 by the centre in collaboration with Quezon City local government, and the Dubai local government was presented by the Dubai Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs (PCLA) government representatives at the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Riohacha, Colombia in September 2025. MECTD was commissioned by the Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs in Dubai to draft the study that was presented at the GFMD during the expert panel discussions hosted by Mayors and city delegations in Riohacha, Colombia.
Throughout the year, the centre was also involved in multiple international conferences, in addition to the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Colombia. The centre also participated in the 7th UN Responsible Human Rights Asia-Pacific Forum, that was held in Bangkok, and the OIC-PESNET Workshop on “Empowering Job Seekers: Digital Platform Best Practices from OIC Member Countries” in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The centre was also invited to contribute to the Abu Dhabi Dialogue Ministerial Meeting that was held online in September 2025 on the ongoing dialogue between sending and receiving countries across labour migration corridors in Asia and the GCC. MECTD contributed to various global and regional virtual civil society and stakeholder consultations leading to the GFMD 2025, and the IMRF 2026 with its partners.
Activities
The following activities reflect MECTD’s engagement in the year 2025 with local, regional and global stakeholders that have contributed to the centre’s community outreach programs that engage workers directly to raise awareness on labor protections and support networks, institutional capacity building, and global outreach.
Bits Pilani Diamond Jubilee Celebration 2024: International Migration Conference 2025
Middle East Centre for Training and Development, led by Migration Studies Researchers, took part in the 2-day Diamond Jubilee Celebration Conference organized by the Birla Institute Of Technology and Science, Bits Pilani Dubai, on the 15th April 2025, in collaboration with The International Institute of Migration and Development titled “People on the move: international migration as a catalyst for achieving the sustainable development goals” in Dubai, UAE. The conference was chaired by the honourable Dr. Irudayarajan Sebastian, Chair at International Institute of Migration and Development, and Dr. Mrutuyanjaya Sahu, Head of Department, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Middle East Centre’s research was presented among talented academics and research professionals in the enriching 2-day conference on migration. The conference was a chance for academics to unite on migration research on the Gulf region and beyond.
OIC-PESNET Workshop on ‘Empowering Job Seekers: Digital Platform Best Practices from OIC Member Countries’, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
On 08th & 09th July 2025, MECTD participated in the Workshop on ‘Empowering Job Seekers: Digital Platform Best Practices from OIC Member Countries’. The event was organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Public Employment Services Network (PESNET). The workshop brought public employment agencies from the OIC countries to harness the potential of digital platforms to expand employment opportunities for job seekers across OIC member countries. MECTD made an intervention on Strengthening instruments on combating job scams in UAE under the title of ‘’Promoting support mechanisms to prevent challenging and unethical recruitment practices in UAE and beyond’’.
15th Global Forum on Migration and Development Summit, Riohacha (La Guajira), Colombia
(Picture copyrights to photographers of the Global Forum on Migration and Development)
From the 1st – 4th September, 2025, MECTD participated in the 15th Global Forum on Migration and Development Summit in Riohacha, Colombia. The centre was nominated by the Cross Regional Center for Refugees and Migrants (CCRM) to represent the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf region delegation at the summit within the Civil Society mechanism. According to the Colombia Chair, the Summit brought together more than 1500 participants from 71 countries, including national and local governments, civil society, the private sector, and youth. Under the theme “Regular Migration, Labour Mobility and Human Rights: Pillars of Development and Well-Being of Societies”, discussions focused on key topics from internal displacement to pathways and dignified returns.
Middle East Centre for Training and Development also provided technical, academic, and logistical support for the successful participation of the Dubai local government within the Mayors Mechanism delegation. The Dubai Delegation was represented by the Dubai Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs in Dubai (PCLA) at the Summit in Riohacha, where a study conducted by MECTD titled “Case Study on Local Government Practices for the Services Offered to Migrant Workers in Labour Sending and Receiving Cities; The Cases of Quezon City, Philippines, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates” was presented by the PCLA, in collaboration with Quezon City Council, Philippines. The study provides an explorative outlook on how local governments in labour sending and receiving contexts provide services, protections, and welfare support for migrant workers, and highlights best practices that can be replicated across similar jurisdictions in city-to-city migration corridors.
MECTD Participation at the Virtual Meeting of Senior Officials from Abu Dhabi Dialogue Member States
MECTD Participated at the ADD virtual meeting of senior officials from the Ministries of Labour of 16 countries, who convened to discuss future cooperation and advancing the governance of labour mobility between sending and receiving countries along the Asia-GCC corridor, in response to global labour market transformations. The meeting was held on the 30th September – 1St October 2025. Both labour sending, and receiving countries, in addition to representatives from international and regional organizations, the private sector, and civil society were present at the virtual meeting and were able to make interventions in relation to the expert topics discussed.
The discussions formed part of the preparations for the upcoming eighth Abu Dhabi Dialogue Ministerial Consultation, which is expected to be hosted in Dubai, in 2025.
The 7th UN Responsible Human Rights Asia-Pacific Forum held in Bangkok
MECTD took part in the 7th UN Responsible Human Rights Asia-Pacific Forum held in Bangkok from the 15th to 19th September 2025. The event brought together representatives from across the region to discuss responsible business practices, human rights, and sustainable development. MECTD’s participation reflects the centre’s ongoing engagement in global dialogues aimed at fostering ethical and inclusive growth.
MECTD at the World Social Summit 2025 – Doha
The Middle East Centre for Training and Development (MECTD) participated in the World Social Summit for Social Development, held in Doha from 4–6 November 2025. This year’s summit holds exceptional global significance, marking 30 years since the inaugural World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995. The return of this historic platform highlights the global community’s renewed commitment to social justice, inclusion, and sustainable human development.
Education awareness sessions
In line with previous years, MECTD played a pivotal role in enhancing the knowledge of various worker communities including construction, service, delivery, among others, with an increase of approximately 38% from the previous year in the number of workers being educated and targeted through the programs carried out. Throughout the year 2025, the centre conducted more than 141 sessions in total, educating more than 4637 workers within various low-income sectors. Worker communities who attended the sessions including delivery riders, general workers, supervisors and women domestic workers were exposed to various topics including social behaviour in the UAE, residency visa information, labor law information, road and safety, health and safety, channels of support. The below statistics illustrate how workers were able to benefit from the sessions conducted. Workers were also given surveys to evaluate their knowledge following the end of the session, and the results were compared to their knowledge before they were exposed to the session to evaluate their comprehension.
Outreach programme during the Holy Month
During the month of Ramadan, MECTD joined PCLA to spread the spirit of goodwill and solidarity in the community. Like previous programs that MECTD has taken part in year after year, during the Holy month of Ramadan, MECTD conducted orientation sessions targeting low-income workers at different labour accommodations and private companies. In addition to sharing knowledge on UAE’s rules and regulations, workers were also given opportunities to express their talents including poetry reading, singing and participating in performances. These events honour UAE’s worker communities, and generate community engagement and participation.
Regional and global collaboration
MECTD has continued to expand its regional, and international engagement with its close partners including global civil society networks such as Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA), Diplomacy Training Programme (DTP), Cross Regional Centre for Refugees and Migrants (CCRM), as well as with like-mined organizations including media personnels. In year 2025, the centre was heavily involved in multiple stakeholder consultations involving the Global Forum on Migration and Development, global Civil Society discussions with the GFMD Civil Society Mechanism Secretariat and Action Committee, as well as in discussions of Migrant Voices Meetings, Grassroots Forum on Migration Governance in the lead up to the International Migration Review Forum 2026, OPGA discussions on the IMRF, among others.