The ILO at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair 2024

The International Labour Organization (ILO) actively participated in the recently concluded Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, held in Bulawayo from April 22nd to April 27th, 2024. The event served as a platform for the ILO to enhance its visibility and advocate for its core principles of 'decent work and social justice.'

The ILO's stand was situated within the United Nations (UN) in Zimbabwe pavilion, where it led on the Prosperity Pillar of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

Objectives

• Increase visibility and awareness of the ILO and its work in Zimbabwe.
• Advocate for decent work and social justice.

Running under the current ILO mantra on ‘promoting social justice’, this was subject to many and varied comments by the visitors, the older ones in particular, who shared thought provoking perspectives on global and national socio-economic as well as geo-political issues.

Who visited the ILO stand?

Among many visitors to the stand was the EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe Jobst Von Kirchmann and Embassy senior programming members of staff, Deputy Head of Development at FCDO – Jo Abbott, who acknowledged ILO collaboration and the successes that had been jointly achieved. Other notable visitors were the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Ambassador Raphael Faranisi Senior Representatives of FAO, WFP, UNDP, UN Women, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, prison Office representatives, Junior Parliamentarians and the Zimbabwe United Nations Association (ZUNA) – the Bulawayo Chapters, and students from the many tertiary institutions dotted around Bulawayo; high and primary school students, the media, as well as the young and the elderly, who viewed the Trade Fair as an occasion to just socialise as family from the nondescript comments that they made.

Advocacy materials

The Trade Fair offered the Office the platform to distribute informative pamphlets, along with promotional items such as T-shirts, caps, and bags and the ILO in general and specific work streams by CO-Harare. It was also an opportunity to assess how representative the IEC materials were of ILO messaging and areas requiring some tweaking, particularly on theme of the ‘social justice’.

Lessons learned

The ILO's participation at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair proved to be a valuable opportunity to raise awareness on social justice and advocate for other ILO core principles and generally engage with the public from all walks of life. The event showcased the Organization's commitment to promoting decent work and social justice in Zimbabwe and provided a platform for meaningful interactions with stakeholders. Moving forward, efforts will be intensified to further enhance visibility, outreach, and impact at this and other platforms as they arise.