Central Organization of Trade Unions of Kenya (COTU-K) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has urged women trade unionists to take a frontline role in ending child labour within Kenya’s tea and coffee sectors.
Speaking on Thursday at the Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu during the opening of a capacity-building workshop for women trade unionists, Atwoli emphasised that empowering women in union leadership was key to protecting children from exploitation in agricultural supply chains.
The training, organised in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), is part of the Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa (ACCEL Africa) project.
The initiative targets the elimination of child labour in Kenya’s tea and coffee sectors across Kisii, Kericho, Meru, and Kirinyaga counties.
Participants were drawn from several COTU (K) affiliate unions, including the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU), the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA), the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), and the Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers (KUCFW).
Atwoli decried the persistence of child labour in Kenya, attributing it to poverty, limited access to education, and weak enforcement of labour laws.
“Child labour remains a pressing issue in our country. To eradicate it, we must address the root causes – poverty, lack of access to quality education, and weak enforcement of labour standards,” he said.
He lauded the ILO for its continued partnership with COTU (K) in promoting decent work and protecting vulnerable children, adding that women union leaders were critical agents of change.
“Women trade unionists hold the keys to eradicating child labour in Kenya’s tea and coffee sectors. They are closest to the realities within families and communities, and empowering them strengthens the frontline defence against child exploitation,” Atwoli said.
He reaffirmed COTU’s commitment to defending workers’ rights and ensuring that no child is deprived of education or dignity due to economic hardships.
“Our mission is to ensure that all forms of exploitation are eliminated from workplaces and communities. No parent should be forced to rely on child labour due to poverty or lack of decent work,” he added.
Atwoli concluded by reaffirming the federation’s resolve to promote gender equity within trade unions and safeguard future generations from exploitation.
“We remain fully committed to eliminating child labour in Kenya and empowering women in trade unions. Together, we will build a labour movement that upholds dignity for every worker,” he said.
By Chris Mahandara
