In a recent seminar organized by the Research Group on Global Challenges to Human Rights, Dr Tine Hanrieder presented her research analysing the interpretation and practices of ethical health worker migration in a country considered exemplary. The seminar shed light on the notion of 'ethical recruitment' as promoted by international institutions and its consequences in the context of health worker migration.
Exploring the limitations of ethical health worker migration
Dr Hanrieder, Associate Professor in Health and International Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is known for her expertise in global health and international political economy. Her research focuses on labour and migration in the health economy, and she has published extensively on related topics.
The seminar delved into the progressive notion of 'ethical recruitment' in Germany, where various international nurse recruitment initiatives have been taking place. Programs such as the public “Triple Win” scheme and a private-sector voluntary fairness certificate promised beneficial outcomes for all participants. Dr Hanrieder's research aims to unravel the complexities and contradictions within this emerging market.
Dr Hanrieder argued that the concept of 'ethics' tends to overlook unresolved conflicts and asymmetries, both within industries and between countries. The regime upholds individual rights but disregards developmental and social rights, while limiting state intervention to market facilitation and soft regulation. Through her research, Dr Hanrieder drew upon primary sources, including documents, as well as interviews with key stakeholders such as recruiters, regulators, employers, unionists, and civil society experts.
By analysing the interpretation and practices of 'ethical recruitment' in Germany, Dr Hanrieder shed light on the contradictory aspirations and practices within this emerging market. Through her research, she provided valuable insights into the consequences of the regime, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive approaches that address the unresolved conflicts and asymmetries within the health worker migration landscape.
The seminar was moderated by Nina Reiners, Associate Professor at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights and leader of the Research Group on Global Challenges to Human Rights. Karin Jakobson Vaagland, Postdoc at the University of Geneva and affiliated researcher at the UiO Institute of Criminology and Sociology of Law, provided valuable comments and questions on the paper . After a vivid discussion with participants from within and beyond UiO’s Faculty of Law, the seminar concluded with a joint lunch.