Africa

Invest in decent jobs – ILO urges African leaders

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) at the end of its 14th Africa Regional Meeting (ARG) adopted a new declaration which called for investment in decent job creation, the institutions of work and sustainable growth in order to achieve a human-centred future of work in Africa.

The new declaration dubbed ‘Abidjan Declaration’ sought to realise the potential for a future of work with social justice and to shape the future of work in Africa.

The declaration ensures that member states make decent work a reality for Africa’s youth, developing skills, technological pathways and productivity for a brighter future in Africa, transforming Africa’s informal and rural economy for decent work, and respecting international labour standards, promoting social dialogue and ensuring gender equality.

And to strengthen the capacities of all people to benefit from the opportunities of a changing world of work through and the efficiency of the institutions of work to ensure adequate protection of all workers.

Among others, the declaration sought the strengthening between the ILO and institutions in Africa, namely the African Union Commission, regional economic communities, and the three labour administration training centres (African Regional Labour Administration Centre, Centre Régional Africain d’administration du travail, and Arab Centre for Labour Administration) as they played a supportive role in the implementation of the African Decent Work Agenda priority areas.

The action plan for the declaration demanded that in the period leading up to the 15th African Regional Meeting, the Office (Secretariat of the ILO) should provide constituents with enhanced support to achieve the priorities by developing an implementation plan that would be presented to the 338th Session (March 2020) of the Governing Body.

The implementation plan included specific and concrete actions for creating an enabling environment for sustainable business, measures to enhance productivity growth, comprehensive policy guidance and technical support for skills development, comprehensive measures for removing policy and regulatory barriers to formalisation.

In line with Recommendation No. 204, and enhancement of competitiveness and sustainability of formal sector enterprises, comprehensive measures for progressive extension of social protection coverage, measures to address gender inequality and discrimination, comprehensive measures for a just transition, capacity building of social partners and decent work and reduction of inequalities.

BY FREDERICK GADESE-MENSAH

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