Uganda holds a National Dialogue on the ILO Future of Work Initiative

Kampala (ILO News) A National Dialogue on the Future of Work in Uganda was held on 18th October 2016 in Kampala.

The dialogue that was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development brought together 85 participants to analyse the situation of work in Uganda and to reach consensus on the centrality of jobs in the future.

Prior to the event, a press conference that was presided over by Ms. Mary Kawar, Director, ILO Country Office for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, and the Director of Labour, Uganda Mr. Martin Wandera, was held which highlighted to the media fraternity the purpose and expected outcome of the dialogue.

The participants had an opportunity to discuss the ILO Director General’s report which was elucidated by Mr. Jelous Chirove, ILO Employment Specialist. Mr. Chirove, through use of local examples, explained to the audience how work has changed overtime as a result of globalization, climate change, demographic characteristics and technological advancement.

The discussions focused on the implications of these transformations to the future jobs.

The guest of honour, Ms. Peace Mutuusa, Minister of State for Gender and Culture, representing the Minister of Gender Labour and Social Development, narrated on the efforts that government was undertaking in empowering youths towards wealth creation, namely; the youth livelihood programme and the skills programme for women.

On her part, Mary Kawar in her opening remarks highlighted the rationale and objectives of the national dialogue, including its significance to Uganda’s development aspiration of being a middle income country.

Also in attendance to the dialogue was Ms. Rosemary Senabulya, Executive Director, Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), and a representative of the Secretary General, NOTU Mr. Mugole Stephen.

The forum exchanged views on decent work, work and society, organization of work and productivity and governance. Generally, the following were some of the key proposals aired towards the future of work Uganda wants:

• To ensure that all conventions are ratified, domesticated and regulations developed and enforced in order to improve the quality of work, including addressing associated vulnerabilities and low paying jobs
• To review and ensure reforms of national legislations for labour, agriculture, health and education in response to the changing demographic characteristics that show 77% of population is under 30 while youth unemployment rate stands at 19%.
• To ensure social protection cover for those outside working life, especially the elderly
• To address macro-economic challenges that affect the effectiveness and sustainability of private sector investment in order to create sustainable and meaningful employment opportunities for the young people.
• To establish programmes for regeneration and adoption of new skills that would meet the emerging demands in technology for the future labour market

Background information

The forum was held in response to the launch the Future of Work Centenary Initiative by the ILO Director-General, Mr. Guy Ryder, during the International Labour Conference in June 2015, in Geneva.

This is meant to provide the ILO and its constituents the opportunity to understand and respond effectively to the fast and big transformations that are taking place in the world of work today.