News details
I Am European – Estonian journalist pushes legislators to better protect migrant workers' rights. Investigating multi-fold human rights violations, she wins a media prize and supports foreign labourers.
Investigative journalist Eliisa Matsalu received a grant from the "I Am European" project to produce articles and podcasts about how foreign workers are (mis)treated in Estonia. Through meetings and interviews, Eliisa discovered that employers were frequently violating migrants' rights. The situation was worse than she thought: according to the Estonian Police and Border Guard, every three days a case of illegal abuse of workforce and rights was found, while employers were immune to police investigation for almost two years after alleged migrant rights violations were first reported!
Ms Matsalu’s article showcased the mistreatment of migrants in the workplace, and employers’ immunity. Her investigative work caught the attention of Estonia’s then Interior Minister, Kristian Jaani. He proposed changing the migrant labour rights legislation to empower police to investigate and prosecute employers more swiftly.
The law was changed a few months after Ms Matsalu’s story was published. The “Estonian Association of Media Companies” awarded her the “Best Podcast” during their annual ceremony in 2021. Eliisa continues to report about human rights and workforce mistreatment.
More info, sights & sounds: Estonian Aliens Act, 2021
For an overview of DEAR Programme impact, read other Stories of Change.
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