For the past 25 years, Platform for Labour Action (PLA) has stood as a beacon of justice for workers in Uganda and beyond, dedicating its efforts to defending the rights of vulnerable and marginalized groups. Founded in 1998, PLA has worked tirelessly to address labour injustices and advance safe, inclusive migration. Its vision has remained consistent: ensuring that every worker whether at home or abroad is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.
Promoting Safe Labour and Inclusive Migration
Labour migration is a growing reality for many Ugandans, especially youth and women who seek better livelihoods abroad. Yet, as Lydia Bwiite, Manager for Rights, Social Protection, and Accountability at PLA, emphasized in her recent reflection, “labour migration comes with many risks: exploitation, unsafe working conditions, human trafficking, and the denial of basic rights. Migrant workers, especially women, often return home with stories of abuse, unpaid wages, and psychological scars. This is why PLA has made it its mission to advocate for safer labour systems and policies that protect workers throughout the migration journey.”
PLA’s interventions have targeted both structural and immediate barriers faced by migrant workers. From legal aid and psychosocial support for victims of exploitation, to community sensitization on safe migration pathways, and policy advocacy with government and international actors, PLA has been central in creating safer environments for workers. By aligning its work with Uganda’s labour migration frameworks and global commitments such as the ILO conventions, PLA ensures that rights-based principles guide labour mobility.
PLA’s Legacy of 25 Years of Impact
Over the past quarter-century, PLA has translated its vision into tangible impact:
- Policy Advocacy and Reform: PLA has contributed to shaping policies that protect migrant workers, emphasizing gender-sensitive approaches that recognize the disproportionate risks women face.
- Legal Empowerment: Thousands of workers, both in Uganda and returnee migrants, have accessed justice through PLA’s legal aid clinics and strategic litigation efforts.
- Awareness and Education: PLA has led nationwide awareness campaigns to combat exploitation, unsafe migration practices, and human trafficking empowering workers and families with the knowledge needed to make informed choices.
- Partnership Building: By working with trade unions, civil society, government agencies, and international partners, PLA has amplified migrant workers’ concerns in decision-making spaces, ensuring inclusive migration governance.
- Community Impact: Survivors of exploitation supported by PLA have rebuilt their lives through economic empowerment initiatives, psychosocial recovery, and access to social protection systems.
As Lydia Bwiite highlighted, “when we protect migrant workers, we are not just addressing labour rights- we are safeguarding human rights, family welfare, and national development. Migrant workers contribute significantly to Uganda’s economy through remittances, but their wellbeing must come first.”
Looking Ahead: Renewed Commitment
As PLA celebrates 25 years of impact, this milestone is not only a celebration of achievements but also a call to action for the future. The organization is renewing its commitment to championing safe labour migration, tackling new challenges such as digital recruitment scams, climate-induced migration, and the growing informalization of labour.
PLA envisions a Uganda where migration is safe, orderly, and inclusive; where workers’ rights are non-negotiable; and where no worker whether local or migrant is left behind. The next 25 years will build on PLA’s legacy of resilience, partnership, and justice, ensuring that labour rights remain firmly recognized as human rights.
Authored by Angella Asiimwe, Consulting Blogger under Voice Consults
Hashtag: #PLAat25