Kenya Joins Alliance 8.7 as a Pathfinder Country

Kenya has reached a significant milestone in its fight against child labor, human trafficking, forced labor, and modern slavery by becoming a Pathfinder Country under Alliance 8.7, the global partnership dedicated to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7. This historic achievement reflects Kenya's commitment to fostering a society free of exploitation while reinforcing its role as a regional leader in social justice.

What is Alliance 8.7? 

Launched to mobilize international efforts toward SDG 8.7, Alliance 8.7 unites governments, civil society, and private sector actors. Its mission: eradicate forced labor, modern slavery, human trafficking, and the worst forms of child labor by 2025. As of 2024, 27 countries, including Kenya, have joined as Pathfinder Nations—proactively accelerating efforts to achieve these goals.

As of January 2025, only 9 out of 54 countries in Africa (17%) are participating in this initiative. Kenya has joined Uganda as the representatives from East Africa. However, there is still much work to be done, as other countries in the region, such as Tanzania and Rwanda, have yet to join.

Kenya’s Journey to Becoming a Pathfinder

The journey to this recognition has been deliberate, collaborative, and inclusive. Kenya’s Country Roadmap (2025–2030), launched during the CAPSA Partners’ Regional Knowledge Sharing and Closeout Conference in November 2024​​, underscores a clear vision: eliminating exploitation in all its forms through a “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approach.

The roadmap identifies four key focus areas:

1. Child Labor: Over 1.37 million Kenyan children aged 5–17 years are engaged in labor, with 94% working in agriculture​.
2. Human Trafficking: Kenya is a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking, with 39% of victims being children, often exploited in forced labor or domestic servitude​.
3. Forced Labor: Prevalent in Kenya’s informal sector, including construction and small-scale industries, with women and girls at particular risk in domestic servitude​.
4. Modern Slavery: An estimated 269,000 people in Kenya live under modern slavery conditions, according to the 2023 Global Slavery Index​

A Coordinated Effort

The development of the Kenya Country Roadmap showcases the significant impact of collaborative efforts in addressing complex societal issues. Deeply rooted challenges such as child labor, forced labor, human trafficking, and modern slavery require a multi-stakeholder approach, emphasizing the importance of coordination among government agencies, international organizations, civil society, and survivor networks.

The complexity of these forms of exploitation is evident in their diverse manifestations, including forced labour in agriculture, child trafficking in urban areas, and domestic servitude. Effectively tackling these issues necessitates expertise from various sectors, including law enforcement, education, and social welfare.

By engaging partners such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), Free the Slaves, and local civil society organizations, Kenya successfully pooled resources and knowledge. This collaboration provided the technical expertise, financial support, and best practices needed to create a robust and actionable roadmap tailored specifically to Kenya’s unique challenges.

Additionally, this coordinated effort allowed Kenya to align its roadmap with international commitments like the Durban Call to Action. This alignment enhances the country’s credibility on the global stage, demonstrating its commitment to combating these issues. The collaborative approach strengthened the implementation capacity by fostering a whole-of-government and whole-of-society strategy. This framework will be essential for monitoring progress, addressing gaps, and ensuring accountability throughout the implementation process.

Finally, civil society organizations played a pivotal role in engaging local communities and raising awareness at the grassroots level. This engagement is crucial for effectively implementing interventions in the most vulnerable populations, ultimately creating a coordinated and comprehensive strategy to combat human exploitation in Kenya.

Survivor Voices: Central to Kenya’s Fight Against Exploitation

Kenya’s progress toward becoming a Pathfinder Country was decisively shaped by the voices of survivors of exploitation. Their active participation in developing the roadmap was intentional by design and default. 

Why is this the case? You may ask. 

Survivors offered critical insights in the complexities of exploitation, revealing significant barriers such as stigma and inadequate victim support systems that must be addressed. Over the years, their input has driven the creation of interventions that prioritize protection, psychosocial support, and economic reintegration, underscoring the vital role of education and vocational training to prevent further victimization.

Furthermore, the powerful stories of survivors act as essential advocacy tools, turning statistics into relatable narratives and galvanizing public awareness and political commitment. Organizations like the Survivors’ Network Kenya, Centre for Domestic Training and Development and Awareness Against Human Trafficking (HAART) Kenya play a crucial role in amplifying these voices, fostering trust between vulnerable communities and institutions.

The Role of ILO in Advancing SDG 8.7

The International Labour Organization (ILO), as a key advocate of SDG 8, has been instrumental in Kenya’s success. Through its CAPSA Project, the ILO supported the roadmap's formulation, ensuring it aligns with global standards. ILO also facilitates capacity building for stakeholders, promotes decent work initiatives, and monitors compliance with international labor conventions​​.

The ILO’s efforts extend beyond Kenya, driving the Durban Call to Action from the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour. This call urges nations to redouble efforts to end child labor by 2025 and aligns seamlessly with Alliance 8.7's objectives.