African Migrant Workers Still Facing Exploitation, ITUC-Africa Warns

African migrant workers continue to face widespread exploitation, abuse and insecurity, the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has said. The union body represents over 18 million workers across the continent and highlighted persistent risks despite existing protection frameworks.

According to ITUC-Africa, Africa remains a region of origin, transit and destination for migrants, with most movements occurring within the continent. Economic hardship, unemployment, conflict, inequality and climate stress drive millions to leave their home countries in search of better opportunities.

The organisation noted that migrants and their families often face abusive recruitment practices, wage theft, forced labour, trafficking and discrimination. Women and young workers are particularly vulnerable, frequently exposed to violence, harassment and unsafe irregular migration routes.

ITUC-Africa stressed that the existence of international and continental legal frameworks is not the problem. Instruments such as International Labour Organization conventions, the Global Compact on Migration, fair recruitment principles, and African Union labour policies already provide guidance on protecting migrant workers.

The union identified weak implementation and enforcement as the main challenge. Limited labour inspections, poor regulation of recruitment agencies, lack of political will and restricted access to justice continue to fuel exploitation and irregular migration.

ITUC-Africa criticized security-focused migration approaches, warning that border externalisation and restrictive policies push migrants into more dangerous routes while benefiting traffickers and smugglers. Such strategies, it said, fail to address the root causes of unsafe migration.

The organisation urged African governments to refocus migration governance on workers’ rights and social protection. It called for investment in decent work, fair recruitment, effective labour migration policies, and stronger safeguards for migrant workers.

Finally, ITUC-Africa appealed to African Union member states to ratify and implement the AU Free Movement Protocol. It said continental integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) must be anchored in labour rights to ensure dignity, safety and opportunities for all migrants across Africa.