Workers union demands private recruitment policy to protect workers abroad

The South Sudan Workers Trade Union is calling for the establishment of a private recruitment policy to regulate private recruitment agencies and address challenges faced by South Sudanese workers recruited for employment abroad.

Pasquale Michael, the Secretary-General of the union, said South Sudanese workers recruited through private agencies face various challenges due to a lack of proper regulation governing the agencies.

He urged the Ministry of Labour to fast-track the establishment of the policy.

“We have very key issues pending at the Ministry of Labour that are yet to be addressed. We are still lacking a private recruitment policy because our workers are suffering abroad. They are recruited, but there is no body supervising them and no regulation governing private recruitment agencies. That is why we are having a lot of crises,” he said.

Pasquale also called for the passage of the Child Labour Policy, saying children are being recruited by individuals who cannot be held accountable or punished without a legal framework.

“So, that is one of our appeals: let this private recruitment policy see the light. Not only the private recruitment policy, we are also missing the Child Labour Policy. People are recruiting children, and we cannot punish them. Let these policies see the light,” he appealed.

Earlier this month, a Service Cluster meeting chaired by former Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi Akol approved the National Child Labour Policy, presented by the Ministry of Labour.

The policy is intended to strengthen the protection of children’s rights and address child labour in South Sudan.