Implementing the Decent Work Agenda in Rwanda

ADDIS ABABA/KIGALI (ILO News) – From 25-26 May 2015, Rwanda hosted the 4th Regional Employment Forum to promote productive employment, share experiences and find solutions to address unemployment and underemployment in the sub region.

“The emphasis on technical and vocation training, the establishment of small and medium enterprises, locally known as Agakiriro, the National Employment Programme, among others, all are intended to create jobs to tackle the unemployment problem,” Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi said opening a two-day regional forum in Kigali.

“We stand ready to support you in these efforts”, Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa underscored at a forum dubbed “Employment Promotion for National Development.”

“For Rwanda, the green economy, green growth and, subsequently, the promotion of green jobs that have both economic, environmental and social outcomes must be a core consideration for the 200,000 off-farm jobs that will be created annually”, Chuma stressed.

Out of a total population of 11 million, some 4.4 million are young men and women of Rwanda. An estimated 125,000 youths join the job market annually but according to the 2012 population census, only 104,000 are created every year. Unemployment challenges resulted from limited capacity of the economy to absorb its labour force, lack of employability skills, the need to improve economic productivity and competitiveness, as well as modernization of the agricultural sector.

The various initiatives that Rwanda has put in place to stimulate youth employment and entrepreneurship include: Investment in the education sector, especially in a skills-oriented education; Business incubation centres; Integrated crafts production centres – ‘Udukiriro’ and community processing centres – ‘Inganda Iwacu’.

Thinking outside the box

“Although the rate of unemployment in the country is lower than it is in most developed countries (…), our country suffers more because three quarters of the employed people are underemployed,” Minister Judith Uwizeye of Public Service and Labour underscored.

Globally, some 839 million workers in developing countries, and over 230 million in Africa are among the “working poor”, earning less than US$ 2 a day, Aeneas Chuma from ILO underlined. This corresponds to 30 percent of the working population globally, though it is down from nearly 63 percent in 1994. In Africa the rate is over 40 percent, reduced by some 17 per cent since 2000, Chuma warned.

“To address unemployment, we need to shift our thinking. We need practical ideas, innovations and explore all opportunities in all sectors. There are a lot of potentials in agriculture, ICT, construction, mining, manufacturing, trade and services, tourism, IT and Telecommunications. Let’s streamline ideas and innovation especially to support the youth”, emphasized Prime Minister Murekezi.

The National Employment Program (NEP) of Rwanda is a five-year program that aims at creating new jobs and enhancing the productivity of existing jobs through skills development and promotion of entrepreneurship.

“It is crucial that African countries, including Rwanda, advocate for and start putting in place strategies to deliver on Goal 8 - sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”, concluded Aeneas Chuma.