LUSAKA (ILO News) – On International Workers’ Day, President Lungu stated that Zambia’s aspiration must be to foster national development and promote productive decent work aimed at ensuring inclusiveness and equity for all workers. “Productivity is indeed a key prerequisite in economic growth and poverty reduction. While it is important to create more jobs to improve the living standards of our people, there is also greater need for stakeholders across all sectors to consider enhancing productivity at all levels”, President Lungu said. The Head of State emphasised that Zambia is committed to providing equal access to employment for youth, women, men and people living with disabilities among others in line with the ILO Convention No. 122 which seeks to promote equality among different classes of the workforce. As a member of the UN, Zambia is committed to ensuring that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are fully realised. In particular, goal 8 which places emphasis on decent work and economic growth, he underlined.
“As recent experience has shown, reliance on copper as a source of employment and economic growth may not be sustainable. There is need, therefore, to develop other industries which can sustain the economy when the mining industry experiences downturns”, he stressed. The President further directed the Minister of Labour to ensure that the National Productivity Policy is finalised as it is key to enhancing Zambia’s competitiveness at local and global level. Meanwhile, ILO Director for Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, Mr Alexio Musindo emphasised that workers are the key drivers for any development strategy and their role need to be acknowledged in terms of remuneration, working conditions and conditions of work amongst others which paves way for broader social and economic advancement, strengthening individuals, their families and communities.
“We need to focus on promoting decent jobs, where there are opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for workers and their families. It is work that provides better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives”, Musindo concluded.
Decent Work Agenda and the SGDs in Zambia
Decent work remains a priority for the world today and is at the centre of the Sustainable Development Goals, arising from a global recognition of the importance of work in alleviating poverty. In the Agenda 2030, the importance of decent work in achieving sustainable development is highlighted in a number of SDGs, but more notably by Goal number 8 which aims to “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”.
In Zambia, the primary goal of the ILO is to work with its partners towards achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all in delivering on the Decent Work Country Programme, the National Development Plans and the SDGs. The ILO’s agenda for decent work and social justice will help advance economic and social rights that give all workers, employers and governments a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress.
