ILO Writing Competitions on Safe Labour Migration in East and Horn of Africa 2027

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched three writing and storytelling competitions inviting university students, researchers, journalists and media creators to contribute to discussions on safe, regular and orderly labour migration in East and the Horn of Africa.

Organised through the ILO's Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme, funded by the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the competitions aim to encourage new perspectives, strengthen evidence based policymaking and raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges associated with labour migration.

The three competitions cover university essays, academic research papers, and journalism and storytelling. They provide participants with an opportunity to share their work with regional stakeholders and contribute to discussions about migrant workers' rights, fair recruitment, decent work and migration governance.

About the ILO Writing Competitions

The competitions are part of the ILO's efforts to strengthen labour migration governance across East and the Horn of Africa. Labour migration creates opportunities for employment, income, skills development and regional integration, but workers may also face exploitation, unsafe working conditions, unfair recruitment practices and limited access to social protection.

The ILO is inviting people who study, research or report on these issues to produce original work that can inform public debate and policy discussions.

The competitions are organised under three categories:

• University Essay Writing Competition.
• Research Paper Competition.
• Journalism and Storytelling Competition.

Each category has separate eligibility requirements and submission guidelines. Applicants should choose the competition that matches their academic or professional background.

1. University Essay Writing Competition

The University Essay Writing Competition is organised under the theme Young Voices on Safe Migration for Work. It provides university students with an opportunity to share their perspectives on labour migration and the measures needed to make migration safer and more beneficial for young people.

Essays may address questions such as:

• What measures would help young people access decent work opportunities locally or abroad?
• What should young people understand before accepting a job offer in another country?
• Why do some young people choose irregular migration routes, and what risks do they face?
• What can governments, employers and recruitment agencies do to promote safe migration and fair working conditions?
• What support do returning migrant workers need to rebuild their lives and find decent employment?

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must:

• Be currently enrolled in a bachelor's or postgraduate programme at a university in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania or Uganda.
• Be at least 18 years old by the application deadline.
• Submit an individual entry.
• Submit only one essay.

ILO staff, consultants, their immediate family members and members of the judging panel are not eligible.

Essay requirements

• Length: 1,200 to 1,500 words, excluding references.
• Language: English or French.
• The work must be original and unpublished.
• The essay must present a clear argument supported by evidence and include sources.
• At least one practical recommendation must be included.
• Submissions must be in Word or PDF format.
• The author's name must not appear in the essay because entries will be judged anonymously.

Text produced by AI tools is prohibited and will lead to disqualification.

How to submit

Applicants must email two attachments to zewdiey@ilo.org using the subject line Essay Competition, Country.

The attachments are:

1. The completed essay.
2. An entry form containing the applicant's name, university, faculty, year of study, country, email address, telephone number, a copy of their student ID and a signed statement confirming that the work is original.

2. Research Paper Competition

The Research Paper Competition invites academics, researchers and doctoral candidates to submit original research addressing labour migration challenges and possible policy solutions in East and the Horn of Africa.

The competition aims to encourage research grounded in regional realities and connect academic evidence with policymakers and practitioners.

Research submissions may address any of the following themes:

• Fair recruitment practices and the role of private employment agencies.
• Protection of migrant workers, including social protection and access to justice.
• Skills development, recognition of qualifications and cross border skills mobility.
• Labour migration data and information systems.
• Bilateral and regional labour migration agreements.
• Youth, gender and vulnerability in labour migration.
• Return, reintegration and local employment opportunities.
• Information, communication and public perceptions of labour migration.

Empirical research, policy analysis or evaluation, and systematic or scoping reviews are welcome.

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must:

• Be academic staff, researchers or doctoral candidates at a university or research institution in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania or Uganda.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have a current institutional affiliation.
• Submit either an individual paper or a co authored paper with no more than three authors.

Each author may submit a maximum of one paper as lead author. A corresponding author must be identified for joint submissions. If a paper wins first place, only one author will be eligible to travel to Zanzibar.

Research paper requirements

• Length: 6,000 to 8,000 words, excluding references and annexes.
• Include an abstract of 250 words and five keywords.
• Language: English or French.
• Use APA 7th edition referencing.
• Follow the required academic structure, including the research question, literature review, methodology, findings, discussion, conclusion and policy implications.
• Include a policy implications section of no more than 400 words.
• Submit an unpublished paper that is not under review elsewhere.
• Submit a Word document without author names or identifying details.

Research involving primary data must address ethical approval and informed consent. The use of AI tools for generating text is prohibited. Any AI use for editing, translation or analysis must be disclosed.

How to submit

Send the anonymised paper and completed author information form to:

• zewdiey@ilo.org
• dawit.daniel@ddu.edu.et

Use the email subject line Call for Papers, Country.

3. Journalism and Storytelling Competition

The Journalism and Storytelling Competition invites journalists, photographers, filmmakers and content creators to produce accurate and responsible stories about labour migration.

The theme is Safe and regular labour migration: the stories behind the journey.

Entries should highlight migrant workers' experiences, challenges and contributions. Suggested topics include pathways to overseas employment, the risks of irregular migration, the experiences of returning migrant workers, young people's migration decisions and the contributions migrant workers make to their families and communities.

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must:

• Be journalists, photographers, filmmakers or content creators based in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania or Uganda.
• Be at least 18 years old by the closing date.
• Submit individually or as part of a team.
• Submit no more than two entries per person or team.

Teams must identify one lead contact. If a team entry wins first place, only one team member can travel to Zanzibar.

Accepted formats

• Written articles or features of 800 to 1,500 words.
• Audio stories of up to eight minutes.
• Photography stories containing one to five high resolution images, each with a caption of up to 50 words.
• Videos of up to 8 to 10 minutes.
• Animations of up to 3 to 5 minutes.

Entries must be original work produced or first published between 1 January and 25 November 2026. Submissions may be in English or French. French entries must include an English summary or subtitles where applicable.

How to submit

Send two attachments to zewdiey@ilo.org with the subject line Media Award, Country.

The attachments should include:

1. The entry itself or a link to the work, accompanied by a description of up to 150 words.
2. A completed entry form containing the applicant's name, organisation if applicable, country, category, contact details, a copy of an identity document and a signed statement confirming originality and consent from people shown in the work.

Benefits and Awards

Each competition will recognise three winning entries.

First place: An invitation to the Fifth Labour Migration Advisory Group meeting in Zanzibar, Tanzania, from 16 to 18 December 2026. The ILO will cover travel, accommodation, daily subsistence allowance and visa costs. Winners will also have an opportunity to present their work to regional stakeholders.

Second place: A plaque and publication of the winning work through ILO and regional channels.

Third place: A certificate and publication of the work through ILO channels.

The first place winners will gain exposure to governments, employers' and workers' organisations, regional institutions, civil society representatives, development partners and academic stakeholders.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should first identify the competition that matches their background and carefully review its official guidelines.

1. Choose a category: Select the university essay, research paper, or journalism and storytelling competition.
2. Check eligibility: Confirm that you meet the age, country, professional or academic affiliation requirements for your chosen category.
3. Review the guidelines: Follow the relevant word limits, format, language and originality requirements.
4. Prepare your entry: Develop an original submission that addresses safe, regular and orderly labour migration.
5. Complete the required form: Include the supporting information and signed declarations specified for your category.
6. Submit by email: Send your documents to the relevant email address or addresses listed above, using the exact subject line required for your category.
7. Submit before the deadline: Ensure that your complete entry reaches the organisers by 25 November 2026 at 23:59 East Africa Time.