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Labor and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore has announced plans to launch a migrant welfare fund to boost the protection of Kenyans working abroad.
Speaking during the 2nd IGAD Ministerial Conference on Labor, Employment, and Labor Migration in Addis Abba, Ethiopia, Bore said there is a need to be proactive in the protection of migrant workers.
"Kenya is working towards the establishment of the Kenya Migrant Workers’ Welfare Fund that will provide migrant workers with the necessary social protection," she said.
The main objective of the migrant worker's welfare fund is to provide protection, welfare, and assistance to Kenyan migrant workers during migration, stay in the destination country, and upon return to the country.
The cabinet secretary further said Kenya is currently conducting an assessment of employment opportunities in existing and potential labor markets for the professional cadres outside Kenya.
"This is borne out of the recognition that opportunities for workers abroad can reduce pressure on our respective domestic labor markets," she added.
She indicated that there are currently at least four million Kenyans living and working abroad, with 92,000 in the IGAD region and 152,700 in the East Africa region.
Bore cited infringement of migrant workers’ rights; trafficking in persons; smuggling of persons and child labor; forced returns and inadequate returns and reintegration frameworks; high cost of remittances; gender segregation; and restrictions on freedom of expression and movement in some countries as some challenges facing migrant workers.
She hailed the enactment of the Labor Migration Policy 2023 following approval from the Cabinet this week.
"The Policy aims to promote good governance in labor migration, protect migrant workers, promote their welfare and that of their families, and optimize labor migration benefits in development," she said.
“That it further seeks to provide an appropriate framework to govern labor migration through the development of a Labor Migration Bill which my country is embarking on.”
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So who will have access to and disburse the funds and what safeguards will be in place?
Zitakuliwa (kama Mandas) na Wakora wa Embassies. Bure gavisa Mwenye hii Idea.
This is a con govt. instead of encouraging folks to stay home and work they’re sending people to countries where their governments actually work. Haha, I take Raila over these clowns anyway.
Other Administrations promised similar ideas but none were implemented...the previous one was known as "Uhruto" so what's the difference NOW?
Id the Diasporain don't come up together and form a Representative group for action on their welfare on a country basis and then under one roof of AU leadership. Simply because the voice of AU is effective than individual county to America regime.
Will this stop human traffickers like Moses Kuria?
No.
Another sham skim.
Create jobs at home and there will be no need for such a fund.Who gets what amount and do the circumstances determine level of help example when a migrant worker is injured/killed by their employer does their next of kin get more than those who are simply deported for overstaying and others are hard core criminals.Just resolve what is going on in the Middle East the people go there out of desperation knowing they may not come back alive