Abudallah Kayonde, the president of the Migrant Workers’ Voice Organisation, is urging the Uganda Government to leverage the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit as a platform to engage leaders hosting Ugandan migrant workers. The summit, officially inaugurated at Speke Resort in Munyonyo, Kampala, saw delegates from over 100 countries in attendance.
Kayonde emphasized the necessity for Uganda to utilize the NAM Summit to advocate for better and enhanced working conditions for its migrant workforce. The president of the Migrant Workers’ Voice Organisation believes that engaging with leaders of countries hosting Ugandan migrant workers is crucial to ensuring fair and equitable treatment for them.
Migrant Worker Statistics
According to the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, there has been a significant surge in Ugandans seeking domestic jobs in the Middle East. In 2022, an average of 7,724 migrant workers departed Uganda monthly for opportunities abroad. It is anticipated that this number may have increased in the past year.
However, concerns have arisen regarding the working conditions faced by these migrant workers in foreign countries. Beyond the challenges posed by recruitment agencies and brokers, a study conducted by The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women revealed that migrant domestic workers often encounter violence, harassment, exploitation, racism, and both physical and psychological abuse in their countries of destination.
