Knowledge sharing on Decent Work in the rural economy - Zimbabwe

ILO News (Zimbabwe): ILO organizes a learning session based on best practices on decent work in the context of rural economy. The experience sharing event aims to provide an opportunity to draw lessons from current and previous interventions, as well as future ILO work in this sphere. It further aims to strengthen partnerships with key organizations at the national levels.

The objectives of this event are:

• Present ILO’s holistic approach towards the promotion of decent work in the rural economy, including the range of tools and training packages currently used for the implementation of projects;
• Facilitate exchange of experiences, lessons learned and best practices that are relevant for the promotion of decent work in the rural economy of Zimbabwe; and
• Generate building blocks for the DWCP 2018-22 and an action plan on the promotion of decent work in the rural economy, and identify innovative implementation, based on shared priorities.

Participants will be drawn from a diverse pool of policy makers and partners in charge of or involved in the implementation of national employment policies and rural development strategies (including Ministries of labour, rural development, agriculture, health, finance, youth, women affairs, SMEs, land, and local government; trade unions and employers organizations; Commercial Farmers Union, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union, Association of Rural District Councils, representatives of multilateral institutions and development partners, representatives of civil society, NGOs (Kunzwana, PLAN, Mercy Corps and NANGO), academia, and the private sector, the Association of Cooperatives and selected beneficiaries from current ILO interventions.

Rural development has been on the ILO’s agenda since its establishment in 1919, the 2008 International Labour Conference (ILC) discussion on rural employment, which culminated in the adoption of a Resolution and Conclusions, set a mandate for greater ILO involvement. In order to consolidate the considerable portfolio of work in rural areas and strengthen the strategic orientation, sustainability and visibility of its rural initiatives, ‘Decent work in the rural economy’ was identified as one of ten Policy Outcomes of the ILO’s transitional strategic plan 2016-17 (Outcome 5).