Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Kenya (Ratification: 1964)

The Committee notes the observations of the Central Organization of Trade Unions of Kenya (COTU-K), received on 1 September 2023. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect.

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Articles 1 and 3 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment services to employment promotion. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government, including the 2012 annual report of the Labour Department. It also notes the Strategic Plan 2013–17 of the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services which includes enhancing public employment services among its strategies. The Plan also aims at establishing 17 new employment offices, upgrading ten existing employment offices, registering and placing in employment 50,000 jobseekers, and developing a system for collection, analysis and dissemination of labour market information. The Government indicates that it is expected to help strengthen and expand employment services to restructure the agency and merge it with the Labour Department and National Human Resource Planning and Development. The Committee notes that the Government is aware that the employment services face a number of challenges, including a shortage of funding and staff, and a lack of capacity-building. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to strengthen and expand its employment services, including information on the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2013–17 of the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services concerning the matters covered by the Convention. It also invites the Government to provide statistical information concerning the number of public employment offices established, the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified, and the number of persons placed in employment by the public employment offices.

Articles 4 and 5. Consultation with the social partners. The Government indicates that there have been no discussions specifically related to the Convention in the meetings held by the National Labour Board. The Committee requests the Government to cooperate with the social partners in the organization and operation of the employment service and in the development of an employment service policy. The Committee also refers to its comments on the application of the Unemployment Convention, 1919 (No. 2), and invites the Government to provide information on any progress made in the framework of the National Labour Board towards the ratification of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), and the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181).