Validation workshop on the Promotion of Decent Work in Rwanda’s Informal Economy

Dar es Salaam/Kigali (ILO News) The Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA), Rwanda in collaboration with the ILO and the Swedish Embassy in Kigali, organized a one day validation workshop of a collaborated project with the Embassy of Sweden in Rwanda -Promotion of Decent Work in Rwanda’s Informal Economy, on 10 August 2017. It was aimed at reviewing and validating the findings of three deliverables namely - a sector selection report identifying sectoral level Decent Work deficits, report on deficiencies of the current labour legislation and practice in Rwanda and a complete Project Document. The meeting involved tripartite stakeholders, line ministries, representatives from the informal economy workers and NGOs.

The project being developed by the three partners is aimed at addressing a range of challenges that characterize Decent Work deficits in the Rwandan labour market, specifically in the informal economy. It will also implement part of the strategy for Sweden’s development cooperation with Rwanda which are in line with priorities of the Decent Work Country Programme 2017-2022.

Various project areas as well as inputs and the way forward for the finalization of the project development were covered during the workshop. Other areas included introduction of the ILO Recommendation No. 204, stressing on its relevance to the international labour standards especially the informal economy, strengthening social dialogue among social partners and market systems development approach to decent work.

Some of the follow up actions include:

• Integrating all necessary comments in the project document including: Revision of the project strategic result framework in particular, project intended outcomes and relevant indicators and
• Reviewing selected sectors for project support work in the capacity of the project

According to the national population and housing census (2012) the informal sector is the major employing sector in Rwanda. It accounts for 64% of output in industry in the country. Unemployment rate in urban areas (7.7%) was more than twice as high as that at the national level (3.4%), and was 2.6% in rural areas. The unemployment rate among active youth (16–35) was 4.0% and 8.7% at the national level and in urban areas respectively.