Govt ‘pressured’ on Israel labour export arrangement
Activists are pressing Capital Hill to formalise the ongoing labour export arrangement with Israel.
The appeal comes months after local agencies started brokering deals for youthful Malawians willing to work in Israel; a process that only favours those with internet access.
So far, over 1,000 Malawians have been deployed to Israel where they are working in farms as well as in caretaker jobs.
Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) executive director Michael Kaiyatsa believes without a formal agreement between governments of Malawi and Israel, the youth exported can be exploited.
“Agencies are business minded and all they are interested in is making money, they do not care the conditions the youth will be subjected to while in Israel hence the need for the government to take over the exercise,” worried Kaiyatsa.
Another rights activist Robert Mwezalamba who is the executive director of the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) suggests that the issue of recruitment be entrusted with the ministry of labour.
“A national steering committee can be established and work closely with the ministry of labour which has offices in each district, in that way the youth from such districts can express interest regardless of having access to the internet or not,” Mkwezalamba weighed in his views.
In November last year, information minister Moses Kunkuyu dismissed accusations that the programme is targeting young people linked to governing Malawi Congress Party.