ILO calls for a job-led transformative agenda for Africa

ADDIS ABABA (ILO News) - With more than 18 million new jobs needed every year in Africa, creating quality jobs for young African men and women is one of the most urgent post-2015 challenges, stated Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, Regional Director of the International Labour Office (ILO) in Africa.

“Generating decent jobs for Africa’s youth is one of the most pressing post-2015 challenges”, Chuma told Labour Ministers and representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations from Southern and Eastern Development Community (SADC) gathered in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

Half of Africa’s population is under 35 years of age and according to the ILO Department of Statistics, between 2014 and 2020, the African labour force aged 15 and over will grow annually by about 13.3 million.

“Unless bold actions are taken in the coming years, Africa’s youth bulge could become a recipe for social and political instability, as we have already seen in some countries”, the ILO Senior Executive underscored adding that “a transformative agenda for Africa must be anchored on transforming low-skilled, low-productive and informal jobs into productive, safe and fairly remunerated decent jobs”.

The region’s growth has increased significantly over the past decade but it has not translated into job creation and poverty reduction. Informality and vulnerable employment remain the reality for the vast majority of young workers in Africa with, according to ILO estimates, a total of 214 million working poor living in the region.

“Better quality jobs are a prerequisite for higher productivity and inclusive economic growth”, Chuma underlined in his keynote address calling for further investment in skills development; technical and vocational training.

From 7-11 July, the SADC Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting examined different policy proposals including the SADC Labour Migration Action Policy and Action Plan, the Draft SADC Youth Employment Plan, the Draft Regional Integration Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and a follow-up on member states’ Implementation of the 2004 African Union (AU) Declaration and Plan of Action on Employment Promotion and Poverty Alleviation.

“Ouagadougou+10” Summit and Post-2015 Development Agenda

In less than two months, African leaders will convene in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso to catalyze action by governments, employers and workers, as well as regional and international stakeholders, for new commitments and contributions that will help Africa shift towards a concrete roadmap for the decade 2014-2024.

“Through country-specific, sub-regional and regional Decent Work Programmes, developed though tripartite dialogue, we have the necessary frameworks to implement the conclusions that will emerge from “Ouagadougou+10”, Chuma underlined in his remarks to participants of the SADC Extraordinary Meeting.

The Draft Declaration on Employment, Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Development in Africa to be adopted by the Summit of Heads of State and Government in September 2014 includes, amongst other things, firm commitments to reducing unemployment, particularly for youth and women; to speeding up the extension of social protection, notably to the informal economy and rural workers; to facilitating effective and productive labour migration and free movement of workers within the continent; and importantly, to
promoting regional economic integration.

Similarly, “no Post-2015 Development Agenda will be seen as credible in the African region unless it addresses the jobs challenge”, emphasized the ILO Head for Africa highlighting the Common African Position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

In 2012, this message was already conveyed by the ILO through its Governing Body when it called for a stand-alone goal on employment and decent work for all to be considered as part of the post-2015 development framework.

The Post-2015 Development Agenda must be seized as an occasion “to link employment more closely with the sustainable development agenda” and represents a unique opportunity to mobilize the international community around a Decent Work for All Goal, he added.

The ILO also believes in effective labour migration governance translated into explicit legislation, policy and administrative measures as well as more investments in people’s social protection to contribute to the formalization of employment and the support to economic and social change, Aeneas Chuma concluded.

With a total population of over 200 million, and a combined Gross Domestic Product of over 190 billion dollars, the SADC region remains one of the most promising developing regions in the world in terms of economic potential.

For more detailed information, please contact: Country Office for Zimbabwe; 8 Arundel Office Park; Norfolk Road; Mt Pleasant; P.O. Box 210; Harare. Zimbabwe. Tel: 2634 369805 – 12; Cell: 263 772 129 210-3; email: [email protected]; Website: www.ilo.org/harare