Background

Labour migration and mobility are priority issues in the region: most countries are part of migratory movements, either as countries of origin, transit, or destination. Mixed flows of refugees and asylum seekers have also increased in the region. Migrant and seasonal workers are often also particularly exposed to decent work deficits, especially as they are predominantly recruited through informal networks into in precarious employment in the informal economy. It is therefore necessary to develop a strategy for Africa to leverage the benefit of such movements, to create a level playing field in the recruitment industry and to prevent human trafficking and forced labour, ensuring the protection of the rights of all workers, including migrants, reducing the risks of abusive and fraudulent recruitment (such as false job offers or recruitment fees or costs charged to workers) and taking into account the prevailing informality of employment and prevalence of seasonal labour demand across the region.

Fair recruitment for national and migrant workers is increasingly on the agenda of African governments and the social partners. The promotion of fair recruitment has become a major concern in global and African migration policy frameworks as stakeholders have increasingly recognized the evident links between unfair and irregular recruitment processes and the risks of forced labour, child labour, trafficking in persons and debt bondage.

Launch of the ILO Fair Recruitment Initiative (Phase II, 2021-2025) in Africa

The ILO Regional Office for Africa in collaboration with the African Union Commission, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Organization of Employers (IOE) are partnering to launch the FRI initiative in Africa in March 2022.

The regional launch of Phase II of the ILO Fair Recruitment Initiative (2021-2025) is an opportunity to expand the implementation of successful fair recruitment approaches to other countries in Africa. It is also an opportunity to advance with a common approach of the region, towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal number 8, which seeks to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth with decent work for all, target 8.7 on the eradication of forced labour, as well as goal 10, and, indicator 10.7.1 on worker paid recruitment costs. Similarly, this will contribute to Objective 6 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration Objective on facilitating fair and ethical recruitment and safeguarding conditions that ensure decent work. By pursing this objective, Member States commit to review existing recruitment mechanisms to guarantee that they are fair and ethical, and to protect all migrant workers against all forms of exploitation and abuse to guarantee decent work and maximize the socioeconomic contributions of migrants in both their countries of origin and destination.

Objective

The main objective of the event is to officially launch the ILO Fair Recruitment Initiative (2021-2025) in Africa and garner support for its implementation in the region.

This includes specifically:

1. Disseminating information about the FRI’s pillars, approach, promising tools and recruitment practices
2. Promoting knowledge exchange and creation of a networks of experts and professionals committed to promoting fair recruitment practises in the region.
3. Discuss the formulation of a FRI Regional strategy for Africa to promote fair recruitment, to be pioneered by AUC, building on existing subregional strategies.

Key documents

• Concept note regional launch FRI AFRICA layout.pdf (326.51 KB)