Centenary Declaration: A historic pact to advance social justice in Ethiopia

Tripartite partners commited to advance social justice in Ethiopia for the next 100 years
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ILO News) - Ethiopia's tripartite partners endorsed a historic pact to advance social justice in the country for the coming years as they commemorate Ethiopia’s 100-year long membership of the ILO.

Acknowledging that advancing decent work and social justice is one of the means to ensure productivity and competitiveness in the local and global market, the historic Centenary Declaration put forward several concrete recommendations in order to promote social justice, decent work, and enhanced productivity in Ethiopia.

Considering the importance of a legal framework in place, the Declaration strongly recommended the facilitation for the ratification of some ILO conventions, particularly C190, C131, C189, C97 and C143 as per the country's development needs and social partners demands. The declaration also forwards a recommendation for a review of existing policies and programs that puts the ratified conventions into consideration.

H.E Muferihat Kamil, Minister, Ministry of Labour and Skills of Ethiopia Highlighting the significance of the Centenary Declaration, H.E Muferihat Kamil, Minister, Ministry of Labour and Skills said, “the declaration has forwarded several crucial recommendations that can be translated into game changing programs, projects, and initiatives. Hence, we all need to note the recommendations and take them forward to make changes in the labour sector.”

Commenting on the importance of the declaration, Mr Kassahun Follo, President of the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions said, “the Declaration diagnosed the major challenges and the deficit of the past hundred years and proposed the way out how the Ethiopian Labour Administration system and Labour market ought to address them for the next century.”

“We, the Ethiopian workers witness that the declaration is well crafted and have touched upon every critical issues that can transcend Ethiopian labour sector towards having the right capacity to fit with the dynamics of the world of work faces in the coming years, we also emphasize that it needs proper implementation that gives due attention of establishing strong system which will confirm the commitments, true partnership and involvement of the tripartite partners and engagement in social dialogue. The declaration’s true implementation requires that its goals and intention need to be backed by proper political will and commitment of the Government which should followed by incorporating it and making aligned with relevant national development plans in general and that of the Decent Work Country Program in particular.”

Mr. Dawit Moges, Vice President of the Confederation of Ethiopian Employers Association (CEEA) said, “we are thrilled to be part of this historic moment as we celebrate Ethiopia's remarkable 100th Anniversary of ILO Membership and National Labour Conference. This tripartite centenary declaration underscores our unwavering commitment to fostering a thriving labor landscape that prioritizes the well-being of workers, promotes productivity, and drives sustainable economic growth. Together with our esteemed social partners, we affirm our dedication to upholding the principles of social justice, inclusivity, and collaboration, ensuring a brighter future for Ethiopia's workforce and economy.”

Mr. Dawit added, “in collaboration with the ILO and our tripartite partners, we are confident that these shared aspirations will pave the way for a future where decent work, social justice, and economic prosperity are enjoyed by all Ethiopians. Together, we will continue to work tirelessly towards realizing this vision, building upon the strong foundation laid by a century of partnership and collaboration.”

Engineer Getahun Hussien, President of the Confederation of Ethiopian Employers Federation said, “the Declaration clearly brought out what Ethiopia achieved, what challenges and drawbacks it had encountered and also what lessons the country had learnt in advancing labour administration in the last 100 years.”

“It is a turning point, as it affirmed the commitment of the Government, Employers and Workers Organizations to work closely and collaboratively in the spirit of tripartism towards advancing decent work and social justice, taking into account the country’s reality and the changing environment in the world of work,” he added.

For Dr. Tekalign Ayalew, Technical and Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Labor and Skills of Ethiopia, the importance of the Centenary Declaration is multifaceted. He said, “it helps review and implement Decent Work Country Program of Ethiopia and improve the legal and policy frameworks for labor administration.

“It is also useful to better implement labor administration reform ideals of the ministry, implement the MOU and priorities of MoLS and ILO in relation to labor administration and OSH services and improve labor migration governance initiatives and programs,” according to Dr. Tekalign.

Alexio Musindo, ILO CD for Ethiopia, Djibouti Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia said: “we forwarded concrete recommendations, through endorsing the Centenary Declaration, that helps promote social justice and decent work in Ethiopia in the decades ahead. This would help facilitate the ratifications of important ILO Conventions as per the development needs of the country, as well as promote the culture of social dialogue for effective tripartite cooperation. The Declaration also helps as a baseline to leverage our effort towards strengthening institutions and building capacities of all actors in the labour sector.”

“We, the ILO hope to enhance workers' and employers' organizations to broaden their membership base and coverage in the country while also supporting the national government be prepared for the new digital age,” he added.

Over the past century, Ethiopia's labour administration system has undergone significant evolution, embracing progressive reforms that safeguard workers' rights, promote gender equality, and enhance labour standards. The nation's dedication to the ILO's founding principles of social and economic justice has been a driving force behind the pursuit of decent work and sustainable livelihoods.

Ethiopia's tripartite partners hosted the 2023 Centenary celebration and National Labour Conference in December 2023 in Addis Ababa, underscoring Ethiopia's commitment to tripartism and social dialogue to ensure decent work and social justice.