PS URGES ADOPTION OF GOOD PRACTICE IN LABOUR MIGRATION PARTNERSHIPS
Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime has called for adoption of good practices in Labour Migration Partnerships to ensure protection of migrant workers against all forms of exploitation and abuse.
According to the PS, Labour Migration Partnerships need to guarantee decent work for migrants workers in order to maximize on the social economic contribution of migrants in both their countries of origin ad destinations. Addressing the European Migration Network (EMN) Austria National Conference 2024 in Vienna last week, Mr. Mwadime said such agreements foster sustainable labour migration and skills development by among others establishing legal migration pathways.
“Clear, legal channels for migration reduces irregular migration, protects workers from exploitation and trafficking, ensuring that they move in a safe, orderly and regular manner”, he told the conference themed ‘unleashing the potential of Migration Partnerships: Towards a comprehensive approach’.He observed that Skills Mobility Partnerships (SMPs) between countries are becoming more pronounced as they align skills development with the needs of the labour market, both in sending and receiving countries in particular areas of developing appropriate training programmes, “Skills Mobility Partnerships ensure that workers are skilled and meet the specific demand of the labour market in the destination country.”
However, despite their potential benefits, Mr.Mwadime regretted that Labour Migration Partnerships are faced with several challenges that continue to hinder their effective implementation.
He cited the example where some workers may migrate through irregular channels, by-passing legal pathways thus complicating the management of migration.
Further despite training programmes, “mismatch between the skills of migrant workers and the need of the receiving country labour market can result in workers being employed in jobs that do not align with their qualifications or skills, reducing their ability to earn a decent wages and leading to exploitation”, noted the PS. He singled out for appreciation the EU Member State for recognizing Skills Migration Partnerships as a policy tool to promote sustainable approach to skilled migration and mobility and building of skills both for the benefit of countries of origin and destination.
“EU Member States are confronted with a need for new skills and labour, prompted by the rapid technological changes, digitization and demographic shifts. SMPs present one possible response to future of work” He said Kenya has adopted strategic policies on matters labour migration that will ensure it enters into well-structured Labour partnerships that create capacities for regular, structured and orderly migration pathways. “Looking ahead, the future of labour migration will be shaped by several emerging trends and priorities that build more sustainable and resilient migration systems while addressing evolving global labour market needs. This will ultimately include increased demand of highly skilled workers in the digital space and the green economy”, posited the PS.
He said it was for this reason that Kenya has over the years, signed Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLA)with several countries including the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Federal Republic of Germany while it has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Austria on Labour Cooperation.
The two days conference aimed at exploring the dynamics of the various types of Migrations Partnerships, how they are negotiated and implemented, how effective they are and how they can be improved. It was attended by among ohers representatives of International Organization of Migration (IOM), Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior and the European Commission.