Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Kenya (Ratification: 1979)

The Committee notes the replies provided by the Government in its report received in March 2009. It invites the Government to provide updated information in its next report on the following points.

1. Article 1, paragraph 1, of the Convention.  Adoption and implementation of policies and programmes of vocational guidance and training. Close link with employment. The Government reports that the newly created Labour Institutions Act, 2007, consolidates all institutions involved in labour administration. The National Labour Board established under the Act has the function of advising the Government on all matters concerning employment. The Board shall establish committees; one of which is the National Manpower Development Committee (NMDC). The establishment of the committee under the Act not only gives the necessary legal framework, but also enables its decision to be ratified by the tripartite National Labour Board. In the Government’s view, this will ensure that the policies and programmes carried out by the NMDC are linked to employment. The Government also indicates that documents like the Kenya Vision 2030, the Economic Review Strategy (ERS) for Wealth and Employment Creation (2003–07) and the development plans re-emphasize the central role of human resource planning, development and utilization for the success of Kenya’s development process. The Committee notes the Government’s acknowledgement of the importance of human capital as a major beneficiary and critical success indicator of the development process, and as an important means of empowering the country’s population. The Committee notes that these policy documents have identified employment as one of the most effective routes for economic growth. The overall objective of these policy documents is to promote full, productive and decent employment that will enable those who are willing and able to work to secure jobs. In addition, the Committee notes that one of the targets of the ERS was to create at least 500,000 jobs annually and that, through accelerated and sustained economic growth, the economy will be able to generate additional job opportunities. The Committee once again welcomes this approach and looks forward to examining, in the Government’s next report, information on the impact of the action taken to promote skills under the ERS and the Decent Work Country Programme 2007–11. It also asks the Government to provide further information on the existing methods for developing comprehensive and coordinated policies and programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training indicating, in particular, the manner in which the National Manpower Development Committee contributes to the effective coordination of policies and programmes and the manner in which they are linked to employment and to public employment services.

2. Article 1, paragraph 5. Equality of opportunity. The Committee recalls that the Decent Work Country Programme 2007–11 acknowledges the urgent need of young Kenyans for strengthened skills and accurate training in order to be successful in the labour market. The ILO will support initiatives to provide training to enhance young workers’ productivity, competitiveness and income generation through skills development, while strengthening youth awareness of core ILO labour standards, viable social protection solutions (including microinsurance), HIV/AIDS and safety at the workplace. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to encourage women to develop and use their professional abilities in all branches of economic activity and at all levels of skill and responsibility. Please also indicate the measures taken to promote access to education, training and lifelong learning for persons with specific needs, such as young persons and the other categories of vulnerable persons identified in Paragraph 5(h) of the Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195).

3. Articles 2 and 3. Vocational guidance information. The Committee notes that the types of information available for vocational guidance include job search techniques, entrepreneurial and business management skills and information on employment and unemployment trends. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the measures which ensure that comprehensive information and the broadest possible guidance are available to all persons concerned and to indicate all measures specifically taken concerning persons with disabilities.

4. Employment and training opportunities in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Government indicates that policies and programmes which aim at increasing employment and training opportunities for SMEs have been implemented. It also indicates that Sessional Paper No. 2 of 2005 on the development of micro-enterprises and SMEs for wealth and employment creation for poverty reduction provides the policy framework for development of the sector. The sector has been generating more than 80 per cent of all new jobs in the past five years, representing a 20 per cent contribution to the country’s GDP. The Committee also notes the policies and programmes implemented to increase employment and training opportunities including the patenting of products; training for skills upgrading and transfer of technology; reviewing the labour laws to make them dynamic, supportive and responsive to the needs of the sector; promotion of SME products’ facilitation and sensitization programmes for funding to promote access to credit and finance. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken on employment and training opportunities in SMEs as envisaged in Part IV of the Job Creation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Recommendation, 1998 (No. 189).