Labour groups agree framework to boost migrant worker safety

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The National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) and the Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) have developed measures to ensure that migrant workers have clear safety safeguards before leaving Uganda for Gulf states.

Joshua Okino, a consultant with a migrant recruitment agency, said that given the challenges migrant workers face, the new guidelines, if adopted, will enable them to work in harmony and safety.

Okino presented his findings to stakeholders who deal with migrant workers and discussed the development of coordination and fair recruitment guidelines for labour migration to be handled through a joint coordination process by NOTU, FUE and the Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA) in Kampala on April 17, 2026.

Okino said that following the MoU signed on February 21, 2022, there is a need to strengthen safety measures for migrants travelling to Gulf states.

“As stakeholders, we are here to formulate a joint technical committee to articulate in handling the issues of safety of migrations outside Uganda,” he said.

He added that stakeholders convened to review four documents, including the implementation of the MoU signed in 2022.

“We call upon all recruitment guidelines to be based on the fact that we had a lot of issues arising from how migrant workers should be handled right from where they are to coming from to the agency and filling the forms, and to be followed as they move out of the country to seek greener pastures,” he asserted.

He added that the policy being developed will ensure trade unions and agencies have clear guidelines and that no worker travels without understanding the contract terms.

Okino also noted the need for a clear fee structure to be included in contracts, adding that this can be achieved through a tripartite approach.

“If migrant workers are well catered to with safety, orderly and regulated, we shall operate smoothly with the help of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in this project to improve regional migration management.

“We believe migrant workers should not forget their rights inbound and outbound, and that their rights should be protected, as they bring in a lot of foreign exchange into the country."

Joint coordination framework

Stewart Oramire, executive director of the Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies, said working together will improve operations and help address the negative image affecting the sector.

“We attended this meeting to develop modalities that can help streamline labour migration in this country and specifically externalisation of labour from Uganda or Uganda migrant workers who going to work in the Middle East and other countries,” Oramire said.

He said it is important to establish a working relationship framework under which government, workers and employers operate in harmony.

Oramire added that workers are represented by NOTU, and the framework will help strengthen mechanisms to protect migrant workers.

“It is something that we appreciate and shall support working with all entities to put in place mechanisms that protect migrant workers specifically, but broadly to address issues of labour migration in this country.”

NOTU secretary general Richard Bigirwa said that since the launch of an app for migrant workers last month, there has been strong feedback. He noted that if the four documents are endorsed by the three key players in labour migration, worker safety will be strengthened.

Bigirwa emphasised the importance of collaboration and strategic partnerships in advancing workers’ rights and national development. He said there are plans to deploy staff at Entebbe to verify documents submitted by agencies to confirm their validity. He added that the app will enable labour officers or relatives to communicate with workers abroad.

The four documents developed include an implementation strategy, a communication strategy, a Standard Operating Policy (SOP) and guidelines, as well as key stakeholder inputs, which were described as engaging and insightful.