Abidjan Declaration - Advancing Social Justice: Shaping the future of work in Africa

Adopted at the 14th African Regional Meeting of the International Labour Organization, held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 3 to 6 December 2019, the Abidjan Declaration, Advancing Social Justice: Shaping the future of work in Africa, reflects the shared commitment of governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations from 49 African countries to build a future of work based on inclusive growth, decent work and social justice.

Issued during the ILO’s Centenary year, which also marked 60 years of the Organization’s presence in Africa, the Declaration builds on the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work and calls for an African Decent Work Agenda grounded in a human-centred approach. It recognizes Africa’s potential, including its young population, natural resources and progress in areas such as growth, poverty reduction, wages and education, while also highlighting persistent challenges such as inequality, unemployment, underemployment, informality, child and forced labour, migration, low social protection coverage, gender gaps and climate change.

The Declaration identifies key regional priorities

• Making decent work a reality for Africa’s youth
• Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning
• Transforming the informal and rural economy
• Strengthening labour market institutions
• Promoting sustainable enterprises
• Extending social protection
• Supporting just transition
• Advancing gender equality
• Reinforcing social dialogue and tripartism.

It also calls for stronger cooperation between the ILO, the African Union Commission, regional economic communities and labour administration training centres to support implementation across the continent.