Stakeholders calls for Support for Returnee Migrant Workers Ahead of World Anti-Trafficking Day
NAIROBI, Kenya, July 28 – Ahead of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons slated for 30th July 2025 Kenyan stakeholders gathered at the East African Institute of Homecare Management (EAIHM) to deliberate on issues faced by retunee migrant workers.
Themed ‘Bridging Home: Strengthening Reintegration for Returnee Workers’ hosted by the Centre for Domestic Training and Development (CDTD) in partnership with the State Departments for Diaspora Affairs and Gender and Affirmative Action, brought together government officials, civil society actors, returnee migrant workers and recruitment agents to deliberate on challenges faced by Kenyans returning home from employment in Gulf countries.
Centre for Domestic Training and Development (CDTD) Executive Director Edith Murogo highlighted that the forum was organized to amplify the experiences of returnees, many of whom face social, economic and psychological difficulties upon returning.
“We have many returnees now some deported, some whose contracts ended. We realized we need a multi-sectoral approach to truly support them,” said Ms Murogo.
Returnees shared emotional stories of abuse, exploitation and misinformation by unlicensed brokers with many expressing frustration with the lack of support from Kenyan embassies abroad and the absence of community-level information on safe migration.
Josephine Obonyo, Secretary in the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action, recognized these challenges and reaffirmed the government’s dedication to protecting migrant workers emphasizing the need for collective action involving government agencies, churches, civil society groups and returnees themselves.
The Chair of the Kenya Association of Private Employment Agencies (KAPEA) Vincent Ombati highlighted how the public often falls prey to unauthorized brokers due to poor awareness of legal recruitment channels.
“There’s a very fine line between ethical recruitment and trafficking. If someone bypasses government procedures, they are engaging in trafficking,” he said.
Ombati further criticized the lack of investment in public education on safe labor migration.
“The government has the knowledge and structures, but it’s not reaching the people Agencies like the National Employment Authority remain unknown to many,” he noted.
He further urged Kenyans to avoid unregistered agents and emphasized that misleading promises from brokers often endanger lives, despite appearing to save costs or time.
Among systemic hinderance include Insufficient government response to distress cases abroad, Lack of well-structured reintegration programs. Poor dissemination of safe migration information at grassroots levels
They called on the government to expand the number of labor attachés in foreign countries to Strengthen embassy support services, regulate recruitment more strictly, Launch national awareness campaigns and Build a structured reintegration framework for returning workers.
Stakeholders committed to collective collaboration to protect migrant workers and ensure their successful reintegration as Civil society organizations (CSOs), faith-based groups, survivor-led networks and government departments agreed to continue building a joint support system for returnees.
“There should be an urgent need for a coordinated national approach to migration safety and reintegration returnees deserve safety, dignity and support before, during and after their migration journey”.
