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The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection is planning to hold a countrywide civic education campaign aimed at creating awareness about job opportunities overseas.

Many people in rural areas rarely get such information compared with urban dwellers, said Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua.

Some employment agencies, he added, have taken advantage of lack of information to charge exorbitant fees, thus discouraging Kenyans from seeking opportunities abroad.

“We’re focused on educating Kenyan workers about their rights, with [the International Labour Organisation’s] continued support in strengthening the National Labour Board,” Mutua said at a meeting with an ILO group led by Country Director Caroline Mugalla Khamati.

“This collaboration will empower and protect our workers, especially in vulnerable sectors.”

Mutua said the ministry is also working with recruitment agencies to ensure that they operate honestly and transparently.

He added that his ministry wants to address this issue by creating streamlined pathways that will make it easier for Kenyans seeking employment overseas.

To enhance and uphold global labour standards for Kenyans looking to work abroad, he said, the ministry is working to ratify key international conventions related to child trafficking, child labour, and labour migration.

The ministry is working with ILO to ensure that Kenyan workers, especially those in vulnerable sectors such as the informal economy, are empowered and protected.

Rampant abuse

There have been media reports about rampant abuse of Kenyan migrant domestic workers, particularly in Middle Eastern countries.

In 2021, a report from Parliament said 93 Kenyans working in the Middle East had died after being mistreated and abused by their employers.

The ILO is supporting 10 projects across Kenya, focusing on labour migration, child protection, and general empowerment.