Who can enter: university students in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda only. Students in other countries can’t take part.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is running a University Essay Writing Competition on safe labour migration under its Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) Programme, which is funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The winner gets a fully funded trip to Zanzibar to present their essay to ministers and senior officials at the Fifth Labour Migration Advisory Group (LMAG) meeting on 16–18 December 2026.
The deadline is 25 November 2026 at 11:59pm East Africa Time.
At a Glance
| Organiser | International Labour Organization (ILO), BRMM Programme |
| Theme | “Young Voices on Safe Migration for Work” |
| Who can enter | Bachelor’s and postgraduate students aged 18+ at universities in 8 East and Horn of Africa countries |
| Length | 1,200–1,500 words, in English or French |
| Top prize | Fully funded trip to the Fifth LMAG in Zanzibar, 16–18 December 2026 |
| Deadline | 25 November 2026, 23:59 East Africa Time |
Benefits
- First place: an invitation to the Fifth LMAG in Zanzibar, Tanzania, with travel, accommodation, daily allowance (DSA) and visa costs covered by the ILO, and the chance to present your essay to ministers and senior officials. The ILO will help you prepare a 5–7 minute presentation.
- Second place: a plaque, plus publication of your essay on the ILO and regional websites.
- Third place: a certificate, plus publication of your essay on the ILO website.
- You keep the copyright to your essay.
Eligibility
- You 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.
- You must be 18 or older on the closing date.
- Individual entries only, with one essay per student.
- ILO staff, consultants, their immediate families and judges can’t enter.
- The first-place winner must have a valid passport and be able to travel. If they can’t, the next-ranked entry may be invited.
Essay Topic and Rules
Write on the theme “Young Voices on Safe Migration for Work”. You can answer one of these questions or a related one:
- What would help young people in your country find decent work, at home or abroad?
- What should young people check before accepting a job offer in another country?
- Why do some young people choose irregular migration routes, and what are the risks for them and their families?
- What can governments, employers and recruitment agencies do so young people migrate safely and get fair working conditions?
- What support do returning migrants need to rebuild their lives and find decent work?
Rules:
- 1,200–1,500 words, not counting references, in English or French
- original and unpublished. Copied text or text produced by AI tools leads to disqualification.
- a clear argument backed by evidence, with sources listed
- at least one practical recommendation
- a Word or PDF file, with your name not shown on the essay itself, so it can be judged anonymously
How essays are scored (out of 100): relevance to the theme 20, argument and evidence 25, originality 20, practical recommendations 20, clarity and language 15.
How to Apply
- Read the official competition guidelines (link below).
- Write your essay and save it as a Word or PDF file, without your name on it.
- Fill in an entry form with your name, university, faculty, year of study, country, email and phone number. Attach a copy of your student ID and a signed statement that the work is your own and that you accept the competition conditions.
- Email both attachments to [email protected] with the subject line “Essay Competition, Country”, using your own country (for example, “Essay Competition, Kenya”).
- Send it before 25 November 2026, 23:59 East Africa Time. Late or incomplete entries aren’t accepted.
Official ILO BRMM essay competition guidelines (PDF) · ILO announcement
Key Dates
| Call opened | 3 November 2026 |
| Closing date | 25 November 2026, 23:59 EAT |
| Judging | 26–27 November 2026 |
| Winners told | 30 November 2026 |
| Awards in Zanzibar | 18 December 2026 |
Two more ILO competitions with the same deadline
The ILO has opened two other BRMM competitions that also close on 25 November 2026: a research paper competition for academics, researchers and doctoral candidates, and a journalism and storytelling competition for journalists, photographers, filmmakers and content creators. Details are in the ILO announcement above.
Tips
- Write it yourself. The ILO will disqualify AI-written essays.
- Use real local evidence, such as recruitment-agency rules, stories of returnees or labour data from your country.
- Make your recommendation specific: who should do what, and how. Recommendations are worth 20 of the 100 marks.
- Check your passport. If you win, you’ll need a valid one to travel to Zanzibar in December.
