Tanzania’s President, H.E. Jakaya Kikwete addresses workers at May day celebrations: Acknowledges youth unemployment challenge
Thousands of workers and the public at large in Tanzania joined other workers in the world to commemorate the International Workers Day this year. The event was marked in Mwanza with the Swahili theme “Mfanyakazi Jiandikishe, Kura yako ina thamani sana kwa Maendeleo yetu” literally meaning calling upon all workers to register for the upcoming general elections due August 2015, as their ballot is essential to the county’s development.
1 May 2015
The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Jakaya Kikwete graced the occasion and addressed the workers, narrating some of the achievements by the 4th government during his tenure of ten years, from 2005 to 2015. Among the achievements include employment creation, of which a total of about 2.7m jobs were created surpassing the target of 1m jobs. However, he acknowledged that despite these efforts, youth unemployment remains a challenge which needs collaborative efforts to address.
He mentioned some of the Government efforts in ensuring that working conditions for workers are improved through adopting some key legal frameworks and ensuring their enforcement. Some of such instruments include - the Employment and Labour Relations Act No. 6 and the Labour Institutions Act No 7 both of 2004; and the enactment of the foreigners employment law.
Hon. Kikwete also pointed out the progress made in terms of improving social protection system in the country indicating that membership to social protection schemes have grown from 690,000 in the year 2005 to 6,400,000 todate.
He further mentioned that efforts are being made to extend coverage to the informal economy, including the vulnerable groups - the older people and the disabled.
In his remarks, the Director of the ILO Country Office for Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, Mr. Alexio Musindo commended the Government of Tanzania for the efforts and commitment to promoting the decent work agenda and in finding sustainable solutions to the plight of unemployed youth at national and global levels. He further urged the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) to encourage their members to register to vote during the forthcoming elections so as to enable them to exercise their freedom of opinion as per principles enshrined in the ILO Conventions.
VCT@WORK During May Day Celebrations
In the same vein of celebrating the day, the ILO in collaboration with the Trade union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA), Zanzibar Trade Union Congress (ZATUC) and Tanzania Commission on AIDS (TACAIDS) provided VCT@Work and NCDs health services to public and private sector workers in ten selected regions including Mwanza. In total more than 3300 volunteers were tested for HIV and all those who tested positive received referrals.
Tanzania is implementing the VCT@Work initiative, since 2014, which builds upon getting to zero at work campaign that aims to provide voluntary HIV counseling and testing to 5 million workers come end this year.
He mentioned some of the Government efforts in ensuring that working conditions for workers are improved through adopting some key legal frameworks and ensuring their enforcement. Some of such instruments include - the Employment and Labour Relations Act No. 6 and the Labour Institutions Act No 7 both of 2004; and the enactment of the foreigners employment law.
Hon. Kikwete also pointed out the progress made in terms of improving social protection system in the country indicating that membership to social protection schemes have grown from 690,000 in the year 2005 to 6,400,000 todate.
He further mentioned that efforts are being made to extend coverage to the informal economy, including the vulnerable groups - the older people and the disabled.
In his remarks, the Director of the ILO Country Office for Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, Mr. Alexio Musindo commended the Government of Tanzania for the efforts and commitment to promoting the decent work agenda and in finding sustainable solutions to the plight of unemployed youth at national and global levels. He further urged the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) to encourage their members to register to vote during the forthcoming elections so as to enable them to exercise their freedom of opinion as per principles enshrined in the ILO Conventions.
VCT@WORK During May Day Celebrations
In the same vein of celebrating the day, the ILO in collaboration with the Trade union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA), Zanzibar Trade Union Congress (ZATUC) and Tanzania Commission on AIDS (TACAIDS) provided VCT@Work and NCDs health services to public and private sector workers in ten selected regions including Mwanza. In total more than 3300 volunteers were tested for HIV and all those who tested positive received referrals.
Tanzania is implementing the VCT@Work initiative, since 2014, which builds upon getting to zero at work campaign that aims to provide voluntary HIV counseling and testing to 5 million workers come end this year.