Kenya Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection Dr. Alfred Mutua has arrived in Geneva, Switzerland as the country’s representative to the 114th International Labour Conference. It’s expected that Dr. Mutua will present Kenya’s commitment to decent work, social justice, and inclusive economic growth.
The conference being a flagship event of the International Labour Organization (ILO) brings together governments, employers and workers’ representatives from all over the world to discuss major labour and employment issues that affect millions of people worldwide.
Upon his arrival, Dr. Mutua held a meeting with officials from the Kenya Mission in Geneva where they discussed Kenya’s main priorities and objectives which would provide a basis for conference targets.
The intention behind the dialogues is to enhance Kenya’s position on key labour issues and identify ways through which the country can be an active player in global policymaking.
During the meeting, Dr. Mutua emphasized that creating mainly youth job opportunities remains a major concern for Kenya and in the meanwhile promoting safe, orderly, and regular labour migration should be the focus as well.
He argued that there’s a need to step up workers’ protection in the informal economy which happens to be the largest employer of the Kenyan workforce.
The Labour CS disclosed that Kenya looks forward to join hands with international partners and stakeholders at the conference to advocate the introduction of policies that will guarantee workers’ rights, enhance social protection systems, and foster economic growth that’s sustainable.
Exchanging experiences among member states and coming up with solutions to the new challenges of labour market will be the main focus of the conference.