ILO and partners empower stakeholders on inclusive Workplaces in Kisumu

Kisumu County, Kenya (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), UNICEF, UNFPA, the National and Kisumu County Governments and the United Disabled Persons of Kenya held a three-day capacity-building workshop and dialogue forum from 20–22 May 2025. The forum focused on disability-inclusive employment and workplace practices. Bringing together policymakers, employers’ and workers’ representative organizations, private sector partners and representative Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) the event aimed to operationalize the 5% employment reservation for persons with disabilities in Kenya - a critical step towards building equitable and inclusive workplaces.

As part of the Global Disability Fund (GDF) Joint Programme which brings together ILO, UNICEF and UNFPA coordinated by the UN Resident Coordinators Office, this initiative strengthens disability-inclusive policies, programmes, and services across Kenya. Globally, an estimated 15% of the world population lives with a disability, yet many continue to face systemic barriers - from discriminatory attitudes to inaccessible workplaces - often excluding them from decent work.

© ILO

© ILO

“Persons with disabilities in developing countries like Kenya face higher rates of unemployment, worsened by compounded exclusion from education, healthcare, livelihoods, and community life. The ILO tripartite approach of engaging governments, employers, and workers ensures sustainable solutions rooted in dignity, rights, and opportunity for all,” ILO Senior National Project Coordinator Dr Hellen Magutu Amakobe.

The Kisumu workshop equipped stakeholders with tools to:

• Implement inclusive hiring practices under the legally enshrined 5% employment reservation.
• Foster public-private collaboration in breaking down systemic barriers within workplaces.
• Enhancing institutional capacity for disability inclusion across workplaces.

Disability Inclusion Officer at the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Steve Mugambi highlighted a critical gap that only 1.8% of public sector employees are persons with disabilities (PWDs), far below the statutory 5%. To address this, the NCPWD is actively collaborating with the government, private sector, and stakeholders to reform employment policies and boost disability inclusion across all sectors.

Private sector representatives in the engagements pledged concrete steps toward accessibility and equitable recruitment, while government and UN agencies reaffirmed commitments to inclusive Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) implementation and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

“Barriers are frequently systemic and addressing these issues requires transformative reforms, including inclusive policy frameworks, employer engagement, and increased representation of persons with disabilities in decision-making. Through FKE, employers have been sensitized on the need to accommodate PWDs in the workplace,” FKE Regional Coordinator – Western Branch, Thomas Achok.

Working with the ILO, FKE has established the Kenya Disability Network (KDN) as a dedicated platform to unite employers in advancing workplace disability inclusion. Through KDN, the FKE raises awareness and builds employers' capacity to understand, value, and integrate persons with disabilities (PWDs) into their workforce. With persistent skills mismatches in the labour market, KDN plays a key role in streamlining processes to ensure a smoother school-to-work transition for PWDs.

To culminate the engagements within Kisumu County, on 23 May, ILO joined UNICEF, National Council for Persons with Disabilities, Directorate of Social Development, the County Government of Kisumu, FKE, and private sector leaders to explore partnerships for accessible workplaces and barrier-free employment and innovative financing. This workshop marked a milestone in the inclusive growth journey in Kenya, which demands ongoing collaboration.

The ILO remains committed to working alongside partners globally to advance disability inclusion, uphold the dignity and rights of every individual, and ensure that no one is left behind in the world of work. By equipping employers to fulfil the 5% employment reservation for persons with disabilities, the ILO seeks to ensure that inclusive employment is not just a policy, but a standard practice across workplaces.