Artlibert Makori — Assistant Labour Commissioner, Child Labour Division, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Kenya gives his address during the 2026 Freedom from Slavery Global Forum in Nairobi/HANDOUTKenya has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating efforts to eliminate forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour through stronger labour protection systems and coordinated action.
Assistant Labour Commissioner at the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Artlibert Makori, said the country will strengthen labour inspection, social protection, responsible business conduct, access to justice and meaningful engagement with survivors and communities to address exploitation.
Makori said emerging risks linked to poverty, conflict, climate change, irregular migration, unethical recruitment and the misuse of technology were making the fight against modern slavery increasingly complex.
“We recognise that today’s risks are increasingly shaped by poverty, conflict, climate change, irregular migration, unethical recruitment and the misuse of technology, requiring coordinated national, regional and international responses,” he said.
He spoke during the 2026 Freedom from Slavery Global Forum, which opened in Nairobi, bringing together government representatives, survivors of modern slavery, civil society organisations, business leaders, academics and international experts.
Convened by Free the Slaves under the theme, “Freedom in a Changing World: Strengthening Protection, Accountability and Transforming the Systems Behind Modern Slavery,” the two-day forum is seeking to move the global response from dialogue towards practical priorities, commitments and action.
Makori said Kenya was also strengthening Bilateral Labour Agreements and cooperation with destination countries to establish clearer recruitment procedures, protect workers’ wages and contracts, improve access to grievance mechanisms and strengthen safeguards against trafficking, forced labour and other forms of exploitation.
“Ethical recruitment and accountability must remain at the heart of the labour migration journey,” he said.
Shamere Mackenzie CEO, Sungate Foundation Bukeni Waruzi-Executive Director, Free the Slaves ambassador John Richmond, Chief Imapact Officer Atlas Free the 2026 Freedom from Slavery Global Forum in Nairobi/HANDOUTModern slavery continues to affect people across regions, sectors and supply chains. According to the Global Estimates of Modern Slavery 2022, produced by the International Labour Organisation, Walk Free and the International Organization for Migration, an estimated 50 million people were living in modern slavery on any given day in 2021.
In Kenya, the Global Slavery Index 2023 estimates that about 269,000 people were living in modern slavery, equivalent to five people in every 1,000.
The National Council on Children’s Services has also estimated that about 17,500 Kenyans are trafficked annually, with minors accounting for an estimated 50 per cent of those affected.
Kenya has taken steps to strengthen its response. In 2024, the country was accepted as an Alliance 8.7 Pathfinder Country, with survivors of modern slavery involved in developing the country's roadmap and commitments for their continued participation in its implementation and evaluation.
Free the Slaves Executive Director Bukeni Waruzi said the forum had helped stakeholders identify promising approaches, strengthen collaboration frameworks and develop an agenda for more effective action against modern slavery.
“The adoption of the Declaration of Principles for Aligned Action against modern slavery marks a unifying commitment by the modern slavery movement to strengthen systemic responses and align the movement with leadership of lived experience experts,” Waruzi said.
Shamere McKenzie, CEO of Sun Gate Foundation and a survivor leader, said the forum had underscored the importance of placing survivors at the centre of decisions affecting them.
She said survivor participation should go beyond consultation to ensure people with lived experience help shape policies, decisions and solutions addressing modern slavery.
The Nairobi forum is expected to strengthen international collaboration and translate commitments into practical measures to prevent exploitation, improve accountability and ensure survivors and affected communities have a meaningful role in shaping the global response.
