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

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

1. Contribution of employment services to employment promotion. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2009 in reply to the 2004 direct request. The Government reports that the economy was able to create an average of 450,000 jobs since 2003, but adds that the number of employment offices is not sufficient to adequately serve employers and workers. The Government further indicates that its employment services face a number of constraints, including shortage of staff, inadequate equipment, high number of registered job applicants against few agencies, and the inability to fill vacancies requiring high or specialized qualifications. The Government further reports that the draft employment policy and strategies identify the failure in implementation of past policies and development programmes as being a lack of an effective implementation framework and capacity gaps. The policy further proposes the involvement and active participation of all the key stakeholders, including the social partners. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report updated information on measures taken to strengthen and expand its employment services.

2. Cooperation of the social partners. The Government reports that employers’ and workers’ representatives are fully involved in the organization and operation of employment services policy. The Committee notes that the Labour Institution Act, 2007, which consolidates all the institutions involved in labour administration, provides for the formation of the tripartite National Labour Board, which advises the Government on public employment services, vocational guidance, vocational training and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information regarding the National Labour Board’s activity on the matters covered by the Convention.