Leaders representing over 16 migrant workers’ organizations and associations in Uganda convened at Centenary Park on Saturday to deliberate on key issues affecting labour migration, rights protection, and the welfare of Ugandan workers abroad.
The meeting, which brought together major voices from Uganda’s labour export and advocacy sectors, resolved to strengthen unity among migrant worker groups and establish a collaborative platform to address migration challenges through verified facts and data-driven advocacy.
Among the major resolutions was a collective commitment to promote safe labour migration by engaging government agencies, recruitment companies, and international partners.
The leaders also agreed to establish new diaspora communities in countries where Ugandan migrant associations are not yet active, while reinforcing existing ones to enhance welfare support for workers abroad.
Participants further emphasized the need to “name and shame” human traffickers and to jointly tackle cases of trafficking in persons.
The forum also called for intensified awareness campaigns on the dangers of irregular migration, the benefits of formal recruitment processes, and the use of real-life testimonies to educate and protect prospective migrants.
The leaders proposed holding monthly review meetings to monitor progress, deepen collaboration, and improve research and information sharing within the migrant community.
They also urged stakeholders to prioritize rehabilitation, skilling, and reintegration programs for returnee migrant workers and their families.
In their closing remarks, participants reaffirmed their commitment to amplify the voices of migrant workers and strengthen protection mechanisms for survivors of trafficking.
“We are stronger when we stand together,” one participant said, highlighting the group’s renewed dedication to ensuring safe, fair, and dignified labour migration.