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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Nyaki,</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">It would be nice to be reminded (in some cases informed) of the Kenyan</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">labour law and implications within the context of BPO sector</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Edith</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">________________________________</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">From: kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">[<A HREF="mailto:kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke">mailto:kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke</A>] On</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Behalf Of Catherine Adeya</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Sent: 10 June 2009 08:12</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">To: Edith Adera</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Subject: [kictanet] Day 7 of 10- BPO Discussions, Youth and Gender</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Issues</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> </FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">- Day 7 of 10- BPO Discussions, Youth and Gender Issues -</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Morning all,</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Walu has done a fantastic job moderating so far and now you are stuck</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">with me for the next four days. Today’s theme is on Youth and Gender</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">issues. It is obvious we have touched on a number of issues that focus</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">on this theme in the last few days; however, it is still pertinent to</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">address it as an exclusive issue. </FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> Some of you have wondered why we keep referring to S. Africa, Mauritius</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">and India. I would like to re-emphasize that those are the countries</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">where the research was conducted but views from other countries are</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">welcome. The idea is not to compare Kenya per se but to bench-mark on</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">our (or potential) competitors. Views based on other countries are very</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">welcome, the researchers could not visit more countries due to funding</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">constraints.</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">It is useful to begin by noting that the researchers found that the</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">unemployment rate (2008 est) was 40% in Kenya, 21.7% in S. Africa, 7.6%</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">in Mauritius and 6.8% in India. The researchers also found that the</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">minimum qualification for professional staff was a Bachelor’s degree in</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">all four countries. However, the minimum qualification for</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">operators/agents varied. In Kenya it was a certificate, diploma or</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">degree depending on operation; in S. Africa it was Grade 12; Mauritius</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">school certificate or below and in India it was a High school</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">certificate.</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The common work related challenges include project management</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">(especially meeting deadlines) and long hours. Some employees in Kenya</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">complained about challenges with transportation. The detailed summary</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">findings will be availed. </FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Generally there were more women in call centres than male but more males</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">in the professional cadre. The youth are mostly found in the</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">agent/operator jobs. The following are some country specific issues:</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">1. In, India there is the Equal Remuneration Act ensures that there</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">is equal remuneration to men and women for same jobs. Under this law, no</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">discrimination is permissible in recruitment and service conditions</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">except where employment of women is prohibited or restricted by the law.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">NASSCOM has launched the Women in Leadership-IT Initiative to enhance</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">participation of women in the workforce and ensure there are more women</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">leaders in the IT-BPO industry.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">2. In South Africa, there are 40% more females than males below 25</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">years working in the BPO sector. However, there are 7% more males than</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">females above 25 years old. There is no gender or age based</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">discrimination in the work place. There exists no law or policy that</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">prefers youth from other groups of people in employment.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">3. In Mauritius, there is no 24 hour work culture. In addition, the</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Labor Act prohibits employment of female employees in industrial</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">undertakings between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m; while youth are not allowed to</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">work between between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Interestingly, there is clause</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">that no person shall, except with the Permanent Secretary's written</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">consent, transport a female worker or cause a female worker to be</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">transported in a goods vehicle; any other vehicle, unless the vehicle is</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">provided with an easy means of entering and alighting which does not</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">involve climbing.</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> In Kenya we have the Employment Act which many of you know. </FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">This leads us to the following discussion questions:</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Discussion Q9: Are the Kenyan laws adequate to protect the youth and</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">women from exploitation by BPO&O employers?</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Discussion Q. 10: The BPO sector is not seen as a long term source of</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">employment for most employees. Most believe it is a stepping stone to</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">other lucrative opportunities. What needs to be done to ensure the youth</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">and women view the industry as attractive, especially in terms of</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">quality of employment and career progression?</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Discussion Q11: Attrition and poaching are prevalent in most countries</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">studied. What mechanisms should employers adopt to attract and retain</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">their staff? </FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Let the games (oops! Discussion) begin!</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Thanks</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Nyaki</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">To be Encl: Synthesis 4</FONT> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Tahoma">–</FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> Youth and Gender Issues</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> </FONT>
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