Zambia launches decent work country programme

Zambia today launched the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP), the first of its kind to be launched ahead of Malawi and Mozambique.

The purpose of the DWCP for Zambia is to coordinate and align technical assistance, support and resources around an achievable set of priority outcomes.

Priorities for the DWCP include job creation for young people, women and persons with disabilities, prevention and mitigation of HIV and AIDS in workplaces and the elimination of the worst form of child labour.

Speaking when he officiated at the launch, Vice President Rupiah Banda said the DWCP presents an opportunity to the government and its social partners to work together in addressing the creation of more and better jobs in Zambia.

Mr. Banda noted that as the country implements the DWCP, the challenge now is to extend the enforcement capacity to the 80 percent of the labour force in the formal sector.

Mr. Banda said as the country implements the DWCP, government in collaboration with its social partners will work tirelessly to ensure that workers are provided with adequate social security benefits that will sustain them when faced with contingencies during employment and income security after retirement.

The Vice President pointed out that Zambia will use its Chairmanship of SADC to provide direction on the development of an employment and labour protocol that would govern the integration of labour markets in the region.

And speaking earlier, Labour Minister Ronald Mukuma appealed to all labour unions to unite during the implementation of the DWCP.

Mr. Mukuma said labour unions should desist from talking too much in the press but should ensure the implementation of decisions made.

He pointed out that the Ministry has done a lot of preparations for the implementation of the DWCP.

The Minister emphasised that until the country addresses issues of labour, the production in the country will continue to suffer.

And UN Resident Coordinator, Aaneas Chuma said decent work programmes such as the one launched by the International Labour Organisation-ILO in Zambia go beyond the Millennium Development Goals-MDGs.

Mr. Chuma who congratulated Zambia for launching the programme noted that the programme will be in line with the UN MDGs on eradicating poverty and other challenges.

Meanwhile, ILO Representative for Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, Gerry Finnegan said ILO believes that a decent job is the most sustainable way to combating poverty.

Mr. Finnegan noted that the three major DWCP priorities reflect an important set of national priorities from the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) and the National Employment and Labour Market Policy.

And both Malawi High Commissioner Chrissie Chawanje Mughogho and Mozambique Director of Labour in the Ministry of Labour Jerenimo Mahoque congratulated the Zambian government and ILO for the high level of commitment to issues of labour.