This came as the State moved in to form child labor committees in all 47 counties following a rise in cases of child labor and exploitation. Fourteen counties have already formed the committees even as it emerged that some traders were trafficking minors from Uganda to work as domestic workers.
According to Shadrack Mwadime, the PS for Labor and Skills development, the government was committed to end child labor practices within its borders by patterning with key stakeholders. Mwadime announced the plans to establish the child labor committees in all 47 counties as part of deliberate efforts to end child labor practices.
The PS apologized to the Uganda officials who raised concerns over trafficking of children from Karamoja region in Uganda to work as domestic workers in Kenya. The Uganda officials said the minors have for years been exploited by human traffickers who preyed on their extreme poverty levels and lack of education Speaking during the International Labor Organization (ILO) Accepted Conditions of Work in Sub Saharan Africa (CAPSA) project, the PS lauded the continued efforts in ending child labor.
The five year CAPSA project started in 2020 was implemented in Kenya, and Uganda aiming to enhance the enforcement of legal frameworks and policies related to child labor, forced labor and human trafficking. In Kenya, the project was implemented in five counties of Nairobi, Kwale, Bungoma, Kajiado and Mombasa which for years recorded high cases of child labor and trafficking.
The PS said part of the interventions to address the concerns was to ensure all school going children remained in school to enhance their capacities and tap their potential in various fields. He added that the government would seek to create more awareness among Kenyans mostly at grass root level noting that a section of parents have left their children to work for pay.
Consequently, Mwadime said the labor officers across the country will collaborate with security agencies to arrest perpetrators of the vice for them to face the full force of the law. On her part, Hellen Apiyo, Labor Commissioner said Kenya would seek to strengthen its legal systems, address data gaps and enhance capacity of institutions tasked with tackling child labor.
She said the efforts coupled with partnership with private players and civil societies will ensure a more coordinated pathway to ending child labor and trafficking of minors within the country and across our borders.
