There has been a lot of media talk from critics of labour externalization sector regarding the welfare and monitoring of migrant workers from Uganda especially for those externalized to Saudi Arabia and Jordan with claims that government of Uganda is deliberately selling young Ugandans into slavery and therefore calling for total ban on the externalization of labour by Migrant workers’ voice organization, a non-profit making organization headed by a one Kayonde Abdullah.
According to a petition seen that was served by Migrant Workers Voice to Uganda human rights commission and copied to parliamentary committee on labour,gender and social development, Speaker of Parliament of Uganda among others that was seeking for their pronouncement and a temporary injunction into the externalization of Ugandan domestic workers to Middle East mainly to Saudi Arabia and Jordan allegedly due to grave human rights breaches sighted in relation to workers’ rights as guided by the world Labor organizations’ standards. The petition seeks to address those mentioned challenges through a ban without clearly indicating the dangers of the ban such as accelerated human trafficking since whoever will be travelling within the period of the ban will not be cleared by government, this is because we know that when a ban is put on licensed recruitment companies it doesn’t mean that Ugandans will stop from travelling abroad for work also the status of those that have already been externalized through these licensed companies, who takes care of them when the companies they went through no longer respondent.Such and more need to be looked into before one proposes a ban.
It therefore be thought wise to come out and give clarity on a few issues about labour externalization sector since no one either from government, private sector or the agitators of the ban seems to be giving an answer on who will benefit from the ban in case it takes place.
The challenges pointed out were first of all noted in the recent press statement by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Hon. Betty Among on her return from Saudi Arabia where she and a delegation including the ministry technical team and the Ugandan licensed recruiters, the Saudi Arabia’s ministry of labour representative spent a week trying to asses andanalyze the situation on ground.
In her press statement, the minister stressed that she had led a team of delegates to the of the Bilateral labour agreements signed between the government of Uganda and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ensure that the requirements of the Employment (Recruitment of Ugandan migrant workers) Regulations, 2021 are being enforced as well as appraise the condition and general welfare of Ugandan migrant workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia among other key issues.
Hon. Among also stressed that findings from her visit indicated challenges like reported breaches of terms and conditions in migrant workers contracts and non-enforcement of sanctions on perpetrators cited include,
Denial of access to adequate medical services by employers
Incomplete or non-payment of wages
Denial of access to telephone, internet and other communication services
Confiscation of identification documents by some employers and agencies and instances of torture and mistreatment of domestic workers among other challenges which the minister suggested possible solutions that are supposed to be implemented as soon as possible to avert the situation.
The call for the ban therefore comes after the minister’s visit and seems to be irrelevant and diversionary.
The agitators of the ban on labor externalization seem to be driven by self-interests and emotions than focusing on how to improve the sector to a level that can equally benefit all players including the government as key benefactor.
The labour externalization sector is estimated to be fetching over $900m remittances annually from Middle East alone and offering employment opportunities to over 140,000 Ugandans to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alone deployed in different categories across the expansive terrain.
The problem of un-employment is estimated to be between 64%-70% as about 400,000 youth are released annually into the job market to compete for approximately 9,000 available jobs.
This therefore means that if the sector is well streamlined, this programme if managed to the expectation of all parties involved can alleviate the un employment situation in the country and also bring in remittances that help to improve the livelihoods of our people.
The Association Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA) 2020-2021 report indicated that approximately 350,000 Ugandans work in the middle East doing both domestic and non-domestic jobs and of course the number keeps on increasing,Evidence has shown that if banned or unregulated strictly,this movement can degenerate into the vice of human trafficking and its associated risks due to desperation caused by surging levels of un employment back home since the ban will fuel up the numbers of Ugandans leaving the country illegally under nobody’s watch.
Biased and Desperate Call for a Ban
The information obtained from reliable sources also indicate that there could be much more than what meets the eye behind the call for a ban on labour externalization since agitators of the ban themselves are aware of the risks involved like facilitating human trafficking and other related challenges.
There is also pinning evidence obtained indicating that proprietors of Migrant workers voice network association had proposed to UAERA in 2020 to be awarded a contract for Monitoring frame work, Management and Support for domestic migrant workers in middle east countries which they have since failed to secure hence resorting to black mail and saboteur moves with calls for a ban on labour externalization without stressing who is likely to benefit from the ban.
With such glaring facts at hand therefore, I find it very normal to conclude that this call for an injunction or ban is not being pushed in good faith for the benefit of the government, un-employed Ugandans or players in the labourexternalization sector but rather a self-seeking move to sabotage the sector and should not be given the desired attention but instead focus by the government and stake holders should be directed at improving the sector for the benefit of all those involved.
