Comparative Analysis of Maternity Protection and Gender Equity Regulations and Practices in SADC’s Construction Sector

In response to the above and to is rapidly growing urban development and increased infrastructure demand and including a backlog in housing for schools, hospitals, and office buildings, the International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the SADC Secretariat and with the support of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), is implementing a project to improve labour rights and labour productivity in Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) the construction sector.

This is because, while there is a near universal, long-term boom in construction across Southern Africa which has brought with it many business opportunities and job opportunities at all occupational levels, the sector is characterised by poor labour rights adherence, decent work deficits with the most severe and fatal workplace accidents rates and low labour productivity. Young workers and women are the most affected in this regard with the highest percentage of informal workers, often lacking protections under the labour law, contract stability, limited access to trade unions representation and social protection.

The challenges that the sector is facing are quite systemic and include the fact that construction firms, especially smaller firms, often do not meet the basic working conditions required by law as they usually find it hard to simultaneously provide national labour standards and at the same time stay afloat in business.

The project seeks to address some of these key issues that limit labour rights for women and men in the SADC Construction sector. To do this the Project intervenes at both country and the regional and levels as follows:

1. The country level: In Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, the project seeks to address key “systemic failures” in the construction sectors which keep most construction workers in a state of insufficient labour rights: including low wages, unsafe and precarious working conditions, and poor contract stability. Here, the project trials a portfolio of pilot interventions which engage with government, the private sector and the trade unions and employer’s organisations. The pilot interventions seek to a) demonstrated the impact of catalytic actions and to generate lessons and good practice that can be shared with the wider SADC member states; and b) highlight the nexus the huge labour rights compliance challenge and low labour productivity in the southern African Construction Sector.
2. The regional level: The project leverages the knowledge, experience, lessons, and good practice generated through pilot country level, support upscaling and replication of workable solutions to advocate for SADC-wide policy changes that support improvements in labour rights compliance and improvements in labour productivity across the SADC region and beyond. To this end the Project supports the implementation of the SADC Decent Work Programme (2021-2025), and contributes towards achievement of the following outputs:

• Output 1.3: Inclusive and job-rich macro-economic and sectoral strategies, supported through regional dialogues, knowledge sharing and capacity building activities including issues of technology and innovation, productivity, sustainable enterprises and just transition, developed and implemented.
• Output 2.3: Gender-responsive legislation, policies, and measures for a world of work free from violence and harassment reviewed or developed and implemented.
• Output 2.4: Gender-responsive and inclusive occupational safety and health management systems in Member States strengthened.