ILO Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa, Harare

Labour Law Reforms that Support Decent Work: The Case of Southern Africa

Decent work summarizes the different dimensions of work, including employment and its quality, rights at work, representation and voice, and social protection. All of them emphasize the contribution of work to production and income of the individual, as well as social integration and self-fulfilment. The role of ILO constituents, that is, government, business and labour in incorporating decent work goals into national development strategies are particularly critical to the decent work agenda. ILO instruments, such as conventions, recommendations and declarations are normally domesticated in national laws. This paper examines certain labour law reforms in Southern Africa that support decent work.