Application Deadline: 25 November 2026
Applications are now open for the 2026 ILO Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme University Essay Writing Competition. The International Labour Organization (ILO), through the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), supports countries in the East and Horn of Africa region to strengthen labour migration governance and to promote safe, regular, orderly, and rights-based labour mobility. As part of this work, BRMM supports universities as places where evidence is produced and where young people form their views on migration, engaging students, faculty and researchers across the region.
Purpose
To give young people a voice on labour migration, to encourage informed public debate on safe and regular migration, and to bring student ideas to tripartite partners and senior officials attending the meeting.
Requirements
Students currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or postgraduate programme at a university in one of the East and Horn of Africa countries covered by BRMM
(Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda).
- Aged 18 or over on the closing date.
- Individual entries only. One essay per student.
- ILO staff, consultants and their immediate family, and members of the judging panel cannot enter.
Theme and suggested questions
“Young Voices on Safe Migration for Work” Essays may address one of these questions or a related one:
- What measures would help young people in your country access decent work opportunities, both locally and/or abroad?
- What should young people check and understand before accepting a job offer in another country?
- Why do some young people choose irregular routes, and what are the risks and costs for them and their families?
- What can governments, employers and recruitment agencies do to ensure that young people migrate safely and access fair working conditions abroad?
- What support do young people/returnees need when they return home to rebuild their lives, develop their skills and find decent work?
Essay requirements
- English and/or French languages are accepted
- 1,200 to 1,500 words, excluding references.
- Original, unpublished work. Copied text and text produced by any AI tools will be disqualified.
- Clear argument supported by evidence, with sources listed.
- At least one practical recommendation.
- Word or PDF file. The essay itself must not show the author’s name, so it can be judged anonymously
Prizes
- First place: an invitation to the Fifth LMAG in Zanzibar, 16 to 18 December 2026, with travel, accommodation, DSA, and visa costs covered by the ILO, and the chance to present the essay to ministers and senior officials.
- Second place: a plaque and publication of the essay on the ILO and regional websites.
- Third place: a certificate and publication of the essay on the ILO website.
How to enter
Send two attachments to [email protected] with the subject line “Essay Competition, Country”:
- The essay.
- An entry form with name, university, faculty, year of study, country, email, phone number, a copy of the student ID, and a signed statement that the work is original and that the author agrees to the conditions below.
Key Dates
- Call opens: 3 November 2026
- Closing date: 25 November 2026, 23:59 East Africa Time
- Judging: 26 to 27 November 2026
- Winners notified: 30 November 2026
- Awards at the Fifth LMAG, Zanzibar: 18 December 2026
For More Information:
