May 1st marked the celebration of the international labour day across the globe.
Labour Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers.
Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.
Labour export challenges and opportunities.
News reports of recent have reported various cases of Ugandan workers in the Arab states suffering under inhumane working conditions and others death especially the women.
Remittances have overtaken all other sources of foreign exchange income in East Africa for the first time ever and Uganda with over 70,000 workers in the middle east has seen a large chunk of that money.
It is therefore prudent that the government streamlines the operations of labour companies and export of workforce since it has become a viable earner for the economy and more importantly, the welfare of Ugandan citizens ought to be taken care of.
In an effort to create more opportunities for the target population is the youth and women, government has introduced various initiatives such as the youth livelihood fund and support for women Sacco’s. However the lure of riches abroad is still big for many who find it hard to resist.
The government has also instituted stricter rules and regulations to manage labour export companies and last week these companies where summoned by the ministry of gender to remind them of their roles and responsibilities in looking after the rights of these labourers.
The government has also been urged to also establish missions in the countries in which these people are going to help liaise and come to the help of those seeking it.
Way forward.
With fewer options for those seeking job opportunities being created in the economy, blocking labour export is a non starter, however stringent regulations can help streamline the process and help eliminate the fast increasing rampant cases of torture and death that keep on appearing in the media.
The governments of those countries also need to do more to arrest the problem, however this is very unlikely. Countries like Qatar and Yemen have been blacklisted by the international community over mistreatment of workers and the slave like conditions for workers in those countries.
Regulations of labour export industry will also help to eliminate brokers that fuel trafficking.
Enforcement teams on border exit points should also be enhanced and intelligence improved to break the cartels that smuggle humans across the borders.
Education and sensitization of the population is also needed to warn and inform people of the dangers and on how to avoid scammers and smugglers needs to be done.
Sensitization campaigns need to be carried out by the Labour and Gender ministry through mass media channels like radio and television.
We need to restore the dignity of our women who have been reduced to labour mules. Women are the backbone of our African society, they raise the community. We owe it ourselves to safeguard their dignity.
A good government is judged by the way it treats its population and citizens. We as a country need to do more for the wellbeing of our workforce.
