Notes for the Biennial Report on the Implementation of the ...



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8th ORDINARY SESSION OF

THE LABOUR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

COMMISSION OF THE AFRICAN UNION

11– 15 APRIL 2011

YAOUNDE, CAMEROON

LSC/EXP/…………(VIII)

THIRD BIENNIAL REPORT ON THE FOLLOW-UP OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OUTCOME OF THE OUAGADOUGOU EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT

Introduction

1. The Follow-up Mechanism of the Ouagadougou Declaration and Plan of Action on Employment Promotion and Poverty Alleviation recommends that the African Union Commission will prepare a Biennial Report to assess the status of Implementation of the Plan. This is the third Biennial Report in the series following that of 2006 and 2008. It also considers the constraints that have been experienced and how they might be overcome. The progress status is considered according to the Key Priority Areas of the Plan of Action. The period covered by this Report is from April 2009 to December 2010. The Report is conpiled from the reports received from Member States, activities of the AUC Departments and inputs from the First Comprehensive Report (October 2009) on the Implementation of the Ouagadougou 2004 Declaration and Plan of Action. Other sources of information include Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as well as International Partners.

2. The Plan of Action called for commitment by Member States to place employment at the centre of their economic and social policies. Its primary goal is to reverse the current trends of pervasive and persistent poverty, unemployment and under-employment on the continent. The Third Biennial Report is an opportunity to recall the 11 Key Priority Areas (KPA) of action outlined in the Plan of Action:

1. Ensuring political leadership and commitment to creating an enabling environment of good governance for investment, development and poverty alleviation in the context of NEPAD and the MDGs,

2. Promotion of the agricultural sector and rural development, sustainable management of the environment for food security and development of support infrastructure,

3. Development of an appropriate framework for integration and harmonization of economic and social policies,

4. Improving and strengthening the existing social protection schemes and extending it to workers and their families currently excluded, as well as occupational safety, health and hygiene,

5. Empowerment of women by integrating them in the labour markets and to enable them to participate effectively in the development of poverty reduction strategies, policies and programmes,

6. Human and institutional capacity building for public and private institutions in charge of employment promotion and poverty alleviation, including social partners and other relevant actors of civil society,

7. Utilizing key sectors with high employment potential to generate more jobs and allocate adequate resources for that purpose,

8. Building international cooperation, fair and equitable globalization, and partnerships for an enhanced international support for Africa’s efforts towards achieving sustainable development, putting emphasis on the employment agenda, poverty alleviation, regional integration and a better participation in the globalization process,

9. Promoting regional and economic cooperation among the RECs in order to expand economic space, intra and inter-regional trade, markets and exploit the economies of scale,

10. Targeting and empowering vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, aged persons, migrants, children and people infected and affected by HIV-AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis and other related infectious diseases, internally displaced persons, refugees, migrants and the working poor, and

11. Mobilization of resources at national, regional and international levels.

3. Each of the11 Priority Areas is accompanied by strategies and recommended actions that would be implemented through national and regional plans. The Follow-up Mechanisms established the modalities of assessing and evaluating progress being made in implementing the Priority Areas at national, regional and continental levels. UN agencies, international financial institutions, and regional banks (financial institutions) are expected to adopt greater policy coherence and to increase support for the employment agenda.

Key Priority Area 1: Ensuring political leadership and commitment to creating an enabling environment of good governance for investment, development and poverty alleviation in the context of NEPAD and the MDGs.

4. This Priority Area relates to the creation of a conducive environment for investment, development and poverty alleviation as well as substantial employment creation. Governments have sought to create or readjust existing institutions for the creation of this enabling environment.

5. Some countries demonstrated a strong political leadership in employment policies. Employment targets were incorporated into Tanzania’s National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction. Ethiopia mainstreamed employment into its Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Programme (SDPRP) and its Plan to Accelerate Sustained Development to End Poverty.Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Seychelles, Ghana, Madagascar and Liberia, CRA, Sudan, and Egypt used their Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) as the basis of their employment creation programmes.

6. To sustain and deepen the reforms, Nigeria launched a 7 Point Agenda. The focus is to drive the type of growth which recognizes the economic value of natural and human capital, alleviate poverty, foster wealth creation through employment infrastructure development and human development. Tunisia has assigned to the 12th Plan 2010-2014 the goal of accelerating economic enterprises creation, particularly in labour intensive sectors. Zambia established working relationships with NGOs and the private sector in the formulation of its National Employment and Labour Market Policy.

7. Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) set up Inter-Ministerial Committees to follow up on the PoA commitments. Like some countries, Egypt has put in place a High level National Committee on the Ouagadougou 2004 Summit implementation and follow-up, which is chaired by the Prime Minister. Furthermore, Egypt developed a commendable set of investment and export employment oriented policies that have led to a significant increase of foreign and local investments and job creation. Mauritius created a National Empowerment Foundation with programmes covering the whole spectrum of social intervention: housing, unemployment, public infrastructure, health, substance abuse, leisure and sports, and life/social skills.

8. In South Africa, Small Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) companies and BEE co-operatives were supported with skills development. The Department of Labour participates in a Task team on the Anti-Poverty Strategy and in a National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac). It also participates in the implementation of the War-on-Poverty Campaign/ Programme. Other interesting programmes are rolled out, such as (i) the Expanded Public Works Programme in the Social Sector to build the capacity of Non Profit Organizations to deliver social services and create employment through the use of volunteers who are paid a stipend while also provided with training; (ii) the Labour Department’s Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Development programme aims at providing training to underemployed emerging entrepreneurs in the second/informal economy and to unemployed young people in order to promote sustainable livelihoods; and (iii) the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS).

9. A National Human Resource Policy and its accompanying Implementation Action Plan are being developed by Ghana for ensuring the development of a knowledge based and disciplined labour force with the capacity to drive and sustain public and private sector-led growth. It will also inform and guide policy makers, HR training institutions and other key stakeholders in HR planning and development. The Zimbabwean Ministry of Labour leads the National Employment Policy. It also coordinates other Ministries and Agencies directly responsible for employment and poverty alleviation: Youth, Indigenization and Empowerment, SMEs and Cooperative Development. Community based organizations and government institutions strengthened their partnership through joint programming initiatives.

10. At regional level, only the SADC indicated that it put in place regional follow-up mechanisms through its regular regional consultative structures at experts and ministerial levels. Three Committees have been put in place on (i) Social Protection; (ii) Labour and Employment; and (iii) Productivity[1].

Conclusions:

12. Member States have pursued their efforts in establishing national institutions on the follow-up of the Ouagadougou Declaration and Plan of Action. Though these institutions are not well operational due to lack of resources and a strong road map;

13. More and more MS are incorporating employment objectives and targets in their PRS, but there is still a lot to be achieved for their fair translation into appropriate resource mobilization for the effective implementation of employment policies

Recommendations:

a. In collaboration with the RECs, the AUC should tap on the experience of the MS and support the set up of follow-up institutions in other MS and RECs. To this effect, they should publish a booklet on the existing experiences and organize capacity building activities.

Key Priority Area 2: Promotion of the agricultural sector and rural development, sustainable management of the environment for food security and development of support infrastructure.

14. Due to limited quality job opportunities in the rural areas, the rapid expansion of rural-urban youth labour force migration represents a critical socio-economic challenge for MS, both with regard to the swelling of the urban informal economy characterized by bad working conditions and to the pressure of outward migration. The challenge also concerns social and political stability. This emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive employment policies which are well articulated with the rural development policies. The aim is to “encourage the participation of the youth in agriculture in order to reduce rural-urban migration and promote agriculture cooperatives” (Key Priority Area 2, Strategy vi)

15. In Nigeria, the government has shown a high level of commitment to the agric-sector. Food security has been at the heart of its 7 point agenda and it is also part of its vision 20:2020. Various Boards were established to promote sectoral agricultural production e.g. Sugar Board, Cotton Board etc. The land reform is aimed at encouraging large scale farmers in terms of land acquisition. As some other MS, Mali has developed a “Multi Sectoral Investment Programme for Rural Employment”

16. The agriculture and rural development sectors remain central to employment creation strategies for several Member States. Ethiopia’s economic growth had been led by the agricultural sector and agriculture-led industrialization (ADLI) is a major pillar in those strategies. Tanzania’s Agriculture Sector Development Programme focused on improving agribusiness, agro-processing and quality extension services. Soon after the economic, financial and food crises, Senegal has launched a presidential initiative called “the Great Agricultural Offensive for Food and Self-Sufficiency-GOANA” which leads to tremendous increase in crop production and commercialization.

17. Egypt undertook an ambitious multi- sectoral program of rural property rights and land cession in a great number of villages alongside health services targeting 40 per cent of the rural areas and with rural electrification programme and micro credit schemes involving the poor rural households. Burkina Faso launched an Assistance Programme on Rural Employment that aims to promote youth employment in the rural area through rural micro enterprise and cooperative development.

18. There is concern that the agricultural sector in Ghana will be dominated by aged men and women who take agriculture as a way of life and not as a commercial enterprise. This is because the youth do not find the agricultural sector attractive. This situation contributes to rural poverty and rural-urban drift. To address this concern, the Ministry has adopted the Youth in Agriculture Programme which is made up of four (4) components (Block Farm, Livestock, Fisheries and Agribusiness Development Sub- Programmes). Cameroon has initiated numerous rural projects in support of youth employment: Young Rural Entrepreneurs Programme (PAIJA MINJEUN); Rural Employment Development Project (MINADER) ;Rural Youth Development Programme, etc. Algeria has revigorated its mechanics industry through production of various agricultural equipment and fertilizers,creating 240.000 equivalent jobs in 2009. The country has supported creation of rural workers’ professional organizations and reactivated the previous ones.

19. However, as stated in the First Comprehensive Report (October 2009), the National Biennial Reports do not provide evidence on how employment is integrated with agricultural policies. It seems that there is a need to have an institutional and political mechanism for integrating and coordinating agricultural development policies with that of employment.

Conclusion:

20. Despite the significant initiatives undertaken by some MS in rural employment promotion, the rural-urban youth migration for labour trends still remains at a high level. Member States have, however, attempted to address the situation with less and greater success.

Recommendations:

a. MS should review their rural development policies bringing in consideration the youth employment and rural population living conditions, requirements and expectations, and in doing so, integrate these sectoral policies with their national employment and labour policies;

b. In collaboration with the RECs and international partners, the AUC should support experience exchange on rural employment policies and strategies.

Key Priority Area 3: Development of an appropriate framework for integration and harmonization of economic and social policies,

21. The overall objective of this priority area is to achieve an integrated and holistic approach in social and economic development in order to effectively contribute to employment creation and poverty alleviation. Two of the intended strategies to achieve this goal are “harmonizing labour legislations and investments, and Enhancing employment, especially of vulnerable groups and promotion of labour intensive projects, SMEs and micro enterprises”

22. Member States have made progress on this front. In Nigeria, a National Social Security Policy has been developed. The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Scheme is a new scheme which forms part of efforts to eradicate poverty, and reach those categories of the poor that have been excluded by existing social protection efforts. It is also a social transfer whereby poor households are assisted to build their assets by means of investments in human capital. The Pension Reform Act covers all public sector officers and private sector organizations that employ more than 5 workers. The Federal Government has approved in principle the extension of Social Security for all in the informal sector. In Tunisia, the level of social protection coverage is estimated at 95% of the working liable population for the contributing workers.

23. The Ghanaian Shared Growth Development Agenda (GSGDA) is a new medium-term development framework (2010-2013). This poverty reduction policy focuses on macro-economic stability and private sector development; it also emphasizes new policy areas like decentralization, job creation, agriculture development as well as comprehensive social development framework. Thus employment creation and social protection are in line with the development priorities of the GSGDA.

24. According to the First Comprehensive Report (October 2009), Tanzania has mainstreamed its employment creation strategy into its Development Vision 2025 and its PSRP. Tanzania was also conducting media advocacy on employment creation. Zambia integrated employment issues into the Fifth National Development Plan (2006-2010). Nigeria has put forward an employment friendly General Macroeconomic Policy which promotes sector target lead in employment creation. The employment creation content of every government project is emphasized by the National Planning Commission which coordinates government policies and programmes. An employment link of assessment policy for all major government contracts is now in place. Ethiopia set up a Micro and Small Scale Enterprises Development Policy, as well as an Urban Development Package and Public Work Programmes.

25. RECs engaged in harmonizing policies on migration and employment creation as in the cases of ECOWAS and SADC. Harmonizing of labour and social policies in SADC has been given a fillip by adoption of a plethora of the following documents: the Policies, Priorities and Strategies on Employment and Labour; the Charter of Fundamental Social Rights; the SADC Code of Conduct on Child Labour; and the Code of Conduct on HIV-AIDS and Employment. The SADC has also identified the following key priority ILO Conventions for a concerted action by its MS: (i) Labour Inspection (Industry and Commerce), Convention 1947 (No. 81); (ii) Labour Inspection (Agriculture), Convention 1969 (No. 129); (iii) Employment Policy Convention 1964 (No. 122); and (iv) Tripartite (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144).

26. The 2nd Conference of the AU Ministers of Social Development (Khartoum, November 2010) has developed tools for the implementation, follow-up, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Social Policy Framework for Africa-SPF (Windhoek, October 2010).

27. At international level, the African Development Banks and the World Bank are developing their Social Protection Strategy for Africa, which will both require better information and involvement of the AU MS relevant structures, in particular the Ministries of Labour and Employment as well as social partners and CSO’s.

Conclusions:

28. MS are undertaking social policy reforms to strengthen and diversify their national schemes, in line with the AU SPF (Windhoek, October 2008) and the UN Social Protection Floor.

29. Regional Economic Communities are moving towards better coordination and harmonization in the social development field, in particular regarding the labour and social protection legal framework and the intra- and inter- regions labour migration. In the wake of the global financial, economic and food crises, the international agenda is refocusing on social protection and employment, as demonstrated by the UN, the African Development Bank and the World Bank.

Recommendations:

a. In collaboration with the AUC, the Pan African Parliament, the ECOSOCC, and International partners, the RECs are called upon to speed up their undertaking towards the harmonization and coordination of their labour and social security laws in line with the ILO Core Labour Standards, as well as their labour migration policies;

b. In collaboration with the RECs and the international partners (ADB, World Bank, ILO, etc), the AUC will facilitate experience sharing among the RECs and capacity building on labour and social security harmonization, taking into account the necessity to build on the African Development Bank and the World Bank’s Strategies on Social Protection in Africa.

Key Priority Area 4: Improving and strengthening the existing social protection schemes and extending it to workers and their families currently excluded, as well as occupational safety, health and hygiene,

30. This Priority Area relates to establishing, improving and strengthening social protection schemes and extending them to workers and their families as well as occupational safety, health and hygiene. The overall objective is to extend and enhance safety nets including social protection for better working conditions for men and women, in particular, the most vulnerable including youth, women and those infected and affected by HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. The strategies that were pursued included ensuring the best working and living conditions of all men and women as a tangible aspect in the fight against poverty, and increasing productivity by improving safety, hygiene and health of workers.

31. The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) is one of the flagship Ghanaian Government National Social Protection Programmes aimed at empowering extremely poor, disadvantaged and the vulnerable populations in the country. It is worth to mention that beneficiary households have to abide by certain conditionality: (i) sending and retaining children of school going age to school; (ii) registering births; (iii) children in such households not engaging in worst forms of child labour; and (iv) Immunization against childhood killer diseases. The informal Sector Scheme is a voluntary Money Purchase Scheme based on the individual equivalence principle. The scheme has two accounts: Occupational Scheme Account and Retirement Account. Ghanaian workers in the Diaspora are to contribute to a minimum pension programme with the objective of safe guarding against future and unforeseen contingencies.

32. The African Union Commission has prepared a Social Protection Plan for the Informal and Rural Workers (SPIREWORK), for consideration by the 8th LSAC in April 2011. The SPIREWORK is a comprehensive plan of action addressing policy requirements from the MDGs, the Ouagadougou 2004 Extraordinary Summit, Africa Health Strategy, CARMMA, relevant ILO international Conventions, and the UN Initiative on Social Protection Floor. It is based on two pillars. The first pillar is the design of a Social Security Services Package. The second pillar is the establishment of enablers through measures towards recognition, legal and regulatory framework, advocacy, statistics and knowledge management, organization and networking for empowerment and effective participation of the informal workers..

33. As reported in the First Comprehensive Report, some SADC’s countries have introduced comprehensive social security schemes aimed at providing contingencies such as unemployment, sickness and maternity benefits. Namibia extended its social security system to include pension funds and medical aid schemes, and activated a Social Security Development Fund for job creation. It was also reported that Tanzania drafted a Social Security Bill and efforts were undertaken to establish Social Security Schemes to cover the informal sector. This gives an opportunity for the informal sector, the rural poor, unemployed Youth, the elderly and other privately employed individuals to enter in a number of social security benefits. Lesotho strengthened its existing social protection schemes and finalized a Social Welfare Strategic Plan and a National Action Plan for Orphans and Vulnerable Children. In Nigeria, the National Social Insurance Trust Fund provides social security, social protection for the poor, the aged, the disabled and other disadvantaged members of the population. Its plan entails: the Employee Compensation Bill (ECB), the Youth Opportunities Program (YOP), the Informal Sector Programme (ISP), a Micro Finance Scheme and a Mass Housing Scheme Owner/Occupier as part of the Family Benefit,

34. Algeria and South Africa are running unemployment benefits plans for unemployment coverage. They have also developed social safety net for various population groups, while improving the effectiveness and efficiency of their delivery systems. Botswana is implementing its Revised National Policy on Destitute Persons. Programmes are implemented through Local Authorities, local structures like Village Development Committees. They play a supportive role in the implementation of programmes by assisting in the identification and follow-up of beneficiaries.

35. The AUC Partnerships with Brazil, China and India offer a window for a strong cooperation with the Continent on social protection, labour and employment issues.

Conclusions:

36. Two main trends can be observed: (i) MS are engaging in reform of their existing social security regimes applicable to the modern sector in view of ensuring their sustainability and viability in the context of financial, economic and job crises; (ii) MS are attempting to cover the vulnerable workers in the informal economy by extending the existing social protection regimes or by creating innovative decentralized schemes that could be appropriate for these categories of workers. On its side, the AUC has initiated partnership with Brazil, China and India which have advanced experience in social protection that could be of great interest for Africa.

Recommendations:

a. The AUC is called upon to review its partnership framework with Brazil, China and India in view of strengthening their social protection, labour and employment components with effective implementation mechanisms at all levels;

b. In collaboration with the RECs, and international partners, there for support the implementation of SPIREWORK by the MS.

Key Priority Area 5: Empowerment of women by integrating them in the labour markets and to enable them to participate effectively in the development of poverty reduction strategies, policies and programmes,

37. The overall objective of this priority is to mainstream gender issues into all the poverty reduction and employment promotion policies and programmes by investing in human capital development, especially young women and men.

38. Various Nigerian States have put in place enabling environment for business creation through the extension of loans to women involved in commerce under several micro finance credit schemes. These loans carry low interest rate of about 5% with no collateral requirements attached. Nigerian Employer’s Consultative Association (NECA) developed Entrepreneurship Programmes targeted at women and youth.  Nelex was established to assist all Nigerians and especially the youths that constitute the bulk of unemployed to enter the labour market. The establishment of cooperatives by women, youths and other groups are promoted and encouraged by government. Some States in the north have set up special schools for married girls and young mothers. This guarantees their access to education and transformation of their lives. Activities of the private employment agencies are now regulated by the government to protect especially youths in the labour market.

39. The Tunisian National Employment and Self-Employment Agency allows for regular monitoring of the labour market status and to avail daily accurate statistics, thanks to its wide network of 82 bureaus and 9 entrepreneurship spaces”, and also thanks to the establishment of a labour market information system. Ghana is implementing a Responsive Skills and Community Development Project (GRSCDP), aimed at promoting gender equity, and socio-economic development through institutional capacity building, and the improvement of women’s gainful employment and entrepreneurship. The Mauritius National Empowerment Foundation (NEF) has a special programme for unemployed women delivering entrepreneurship training, Booster Loan Scheme, Quasi-Equity Financing Scheme, placement on training to cater for school leaves, unemployed, retrenched workers and laid of workers. The Mauritius NEF is supported by the private sector under the Corporate Social responsibility (CSR).

40. South Africa has developed and implementing a series of porgrammes: (i) the National Youth Service (NYS); (ii) the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP); (iii) the Community Works Programme (CWP); (iv) the Masupatsela Youth Pioneer Programme (MYPP) which is a youth skills development programme based on the Cuban model of social work with the objective to build a new cadre of youth with new values of caring and compassion and the culture of volunteerism and patriotism; and (v) the National Skills Fund which initiated a pilot project in support of Business Process Outsourcing and Off-shoring (BPO&O), focusing on the training of Call Centre Agents. 24 local Youth Development Forums and 10 Youth Service Centres were established. A new concept of One Stop Centres (OSCs) was also initiated.

41. As reported in the First Comprehensive Report, Egypt undertook many initiatives for women empowerment such as breakthrough of their representation and leadership in workers and employers organizations, the Women Competencies and Skills Development Centre, the Women National Council’s programs on entrepreneurship, female discrimination at the workplace grievances bureau. The Government has put in place 5 regional Counseling and Orientation Centers dedicated to the enhancement of women cultural standards for better awareness of their rights as workers

42. Algeria conducted a Labour Force Survey showing that women represent more than 15% of the employed population out of which 30.1% are employers or own account workers. Ethiopia initiated a Youth Development and a Women Development packages, targeting small scale industry and Youth associations were formed at different administrative levels (regional, zonal, etc).

43. Since 2009 the UNDP Regional Programme for Social Cohesion and Youth Employment has been supporting 12 Sub-Saharan countries to design macro-economic policies that promote youth employment and facilitate the development of skills among the younger generations[2].

Conclusions:

44. MS undertook numerous and strong employment promotion for youth and women, combining different strategies and mechanisms. Social Partners and international partners also participated through specific initiatives.

Recommendations:

a. The AUC and the RECs should work together and promote experience exchange and capacity building on youth and women employment, with the support of international partners;

b. In collaboration with the Pan African Employers’ Confederation (PEC), the AUC should advocate for further engagement of the private sector in youth and women productive employment promotion

Key Priority Area 6: Human and institutional capacity building for public and private institutions in charge of employment promotion and poverty alleviation, including social partners and other relevant actors of civil society,

45. The main objective under this Priority Area is to strengthen the capacity of local, national, regional and continental institutions in promoting participation, voice, tripartism, social dialogue and partnership to ensure an equitable and efficient representation of important socio-economic interests and beneficiaries in the formulation and implementation of inclusive development policies.

46. The First Comprehensive Report (AUC, October 2009) reported that Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Madagascar, Mauritius, Uganda, Algeria and Tunisia undertook activities related to labour market studies while Namibia sought to develop internal expertise for data collection, processing, analysis and report production, management and further development of the labour market information system. A number of countries including Lesotho, Libya, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Liberia, conducted labour force surveys. Improvements were made in the generation of labour statistics in Botswana, Burkina Faso, Kenya and Egypt. In addition, Ghana had undertaken Living Standards Surveys and Egypt had conducted a survey on migration. However, as in other countries, the level of budget allocation to human and institutional capacity building has not increased significantly in Nigeria. A number of MS have set up and or enhanced National Youth Employment Agencies and National Employment Agencies (Algeria, Senegal, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire,).

47. The AUC organized a consultative workshop on the “Capacity Enhancement and Modernization of the Public Employment Services (PES) and Labour Administrations: targeting the micro enterprises and the SMEs”, in Dakar in July 2010. With the support of the Pan African Employers’ Confederation, a survey was made of the needs and expectations of the micro enterprises and SMEs vis vis the PES and Labour administrations. The AUC also undertook two other major institutional initiatives: the setting up of the Experts Team on the Informal Economy, and the Harmonization and Coordination of the Labour Market Information System.

48. Since its inception in South Africa the Turnaround Solutions (previously called Social Plan) it is managed by Productivity SA. In 2000, it saved more than 100 000 jobs. Its aim is preventing job losses; ensuring the survival of businesses; safeguarding their stability necessary for growth and expansion. Also, Productivity SA is implementing the Workplace Challenge and the Skills Development programme.

49. The Mauritius Employment Service provides extensive publicity on services offered, such as television programmes on vacancies, Audiotex on vacancies, Job Bank on Employment Service website (self registration by jobseekers, posting of vacancies by employers, job matching by both parties), publication of monthly bulletin on employment, dissemination of vacancies obtained through Job Vacancy Surveys. Also, the Labour Market Information System (LMIS) enables the collection and analysis of unemployment data.

Conclusions:

50. The labour market governance remains weak in most of the AU MS. That fetters the effectiveness of the labour market institution in delivering adequate services as required to support both the demand and supply sides.

Recommendations:

a. The AUC should implement its initiatives for the strengthening and modernization of the labour market institutions in Africa, with the support of the international partners and in close collaboration with the RECs.

7. Utilizing key sectors with high employment potential to generate more jobs and allocate adequate resources for that purpose,

51. Nigeria has developed a National Action Plan on Employment Creation which identifies 11 critical areas with high employment potential to generate jobs and bring about economic growth. Unfortunately, its implementation has been stalled due to lack of funds. Agriculture, fishery and forestry, agro-processing, services (including social services: health, education, security, etc), construction and infrastructure, mining, informal economy-handicraft, SMEs are identified as a means of creating and generating employment at all levels. However, there is a lack of matching between the sectors’ job creation potential and the available skilled and appropriate labour force. This mismatching appears as a major constraint to the private sector led development process and productive jobs generation.

52. Some MS reported using the Value Chain Analysis as a tool for identifying key sectors/activities with high employment potential. South Africa introduced the Total Value Chain Poverty Alleviation Model to demonstrate its potential for poverty alleviation and employment creation. The model promotes full participation of the emerging enterprises in all phases of the value chain, i.e. involvement in production, processing, packaging and marketing. As in Benin, Togo has mapped the youth and women employment opportunities at local and district levels. Mali has adopted a “Development Policy Document on the Handicraft Sector”.

Conclusions:

53. There is a convergence on the key sectors with high employment potential across the countries, with some regional particularities attached to their natural resource endowment. The rural sector, the informal economy and services sector deserve more intense attention from all the stakeholders. The potential opportunities need to be unveiled through relevant approaches such as the Value Chain Analysis. The development of this potential is hampered by the lack of information and appropriateness of the skilled workforce.

Recommendations:

a. MS should benefit from realizing Value Chain Analysis in agricultural, fishery, forestry mining and informal economy;

b. The AUC and the RECs should develop and implement an African Social Work Platform in support to development of solvable social services that create innovative jobs for the youth and women, in urban and rural areas;

c. The AUC and RECs should undertake together regional labour market needs and opportunities analysis in view of a better and dynamic matching with the TVET system’s outputs.

8. Building international cooperation, fair and equitable globalization, and partnerships for an enhanced international support for Africa’s efforts towards achieving sustainable development, putting emphasis on the employment agenda, poverty alleviation, regional integration and a better participation in the globalization process,

54. UN Agencies and other donors are currently funding labour related project/programmes. In Algeria, the National Employment Agency will sign a convention with the European Commission on employment promotion. However, developed countries are more and more tightening their immigration policies, including through Employment Permit System, not issuing new work permits or renewing the work permits of migrant workers. Discriminations on labour and social protection rights are still experienced by some categories of African migrant workers in developed countries.

55. The Second Action Plan (2011-13) of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership contains bold initiatives in support to the implementation of the Ouagadougou 2004 Declaration and Plan of action on Employment Promotion and Poverty Alleviation, as well as on migration and human trafficking issues. Member States, RECs, Social Partners and the CSOs are called on to fully involve themselves in the implementation of this Second Action Plan.

56. The G20 has committed to support labour market capacity enhancement and social protection promotion in the developing countries (London Summit in April 2009 and Pittsburgh Summit, September 2010). This is an opportunity for Africa to add its voice to the globalization process as it concerns labour and social protection issues, and to mobilize the key international partners.

Recommendations:

a. The AUC and the EC are called upon to use the established mechanisms for ensuring and fostering the effective involvement of their respective MS and the AU RECs in the implementation of the 2nd Action Plan (2011-13) of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership;

b. In close collaboration with the AfDB, the AUC should approach the G20 in view of realizing their commitments on labour and social protection, to the benefit of African countries

9. Promoting regional and economic cooperation among the RECs in order to expand economic space, intra- and inter-regional trade, markets and exploit the economies of scale,

57. Algeria is entering in cooperation with the regional economic communities (UMA) and sub regional organizations (UEMOA).The ECOWAS protocol on free movement of goods and services has been implemented to strengthened integration. The ECOWAS Labour Code and other constituents in the sub-regions (air, banks, telecom, transport) are geared towards promoting sub-regional integration. Labour Migration is one of the most outstanding issues taking center stage in the development agenda of both developing and developed countries in these early years of the 21st century. RECs are pursuing their efforts in promoting employment.

58. ECOWAS drafted the ECOWAS LABOUR Code that would serve as the platform for the integration of the sub- region labour institutions and harmonization of labour/employment policies in the sub-region.

10. Targeting and empowering vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, aged persons, migrants, children and people infected and affected by HIV-AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis and other related infectious diseases, internally displaced persons, refugees, migrants and the working poor,

59. Nigeria is drafting its Labour Migration Policy. The policy will provide protection to labour migrants within the country and Nigerian labour migrants. It will provide protection to labour migrants within the country and Nigerian labour migrants outside. In Zimbabwe, the ILO supports Training for Rural Economic Empowerment. A study on Value Chains has been conducted and the project is implemented in different sectors including agriculture, woodwork, engineering and recycling. Angola is implementing its ambitious Eight Point Social Inclusion Programme, the Basic Law on 1st Employment, has launched the so-called “Micro Amigo Programme” and has extended the Incubator Enterprises through creation of entrepreneurship centres.

60. Bold policy and operational initiatives have been deployed by some Member States (Liberia, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, etc) in the areas of HIV/AIDS at the workplace and child labour. HIV and AIDS is a major threat to the world of work. It is affecting the most productive segment of the labour force and reducing earnings. The impact of HIV and AIDS is seen through declining productivity, increasing health care bills, increasing labour costs due to increasing staff absenteeism. The Ghanaian National Workplace HIV/AIDS Policy was formulated by the social partners of the National Tripartite Committee (NTC), in collaboration with the AIDS Commission and the ILO. It is aimed at providing essential guidance to policy makers, employers and workers organizations for formulating and implementation workplace policies.

61. The Ghanaian Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare together with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and with the technical assistance from COCOBOD (Ghana Cocoa Board) , the World Cocoa Foundation and DANIDA, is implementing a National Programme for the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour in Cocoa (NPECLC). The overall goal is to eliminate all worst forms of child labour in the cocoa sector by 2011 and in other sectors by 2015. Cocoa is a major foreign exchange earner for Ghana, accounting for 37% of GDP (2003). It directly provides employment for about 3.5 million rural dwellers and, indirectly, affects the lives of almost all Ghanaians. Mauritius is implementing its National Multisectoral HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework 2007-2011.

62. Labour Migration is a natural response to the underlying demographic and economic differentials between countries worldwide. Migration flows within the Continent is enormous. The challenge and opportunity is to manage the already occurring massive labour migration in a manner that maximizes the opportunities and benefits of labour migration. The challenges need to be addressed by taking forward the relevant provisions of the Migration Policy Framework in Africa, in particular the chapter on “Labour Migration”, as well as with regard to the Abuja Treaty calls to recognize and promote the role of the labour migration policies in achieving Regional Social and Economic Integration and development in Africa.

63. As it is the case in some MS, Tunisia has developed a series of employment promotion programmes targeting the disabled persons to access labour income through self employment and/or salaried work. Also the legislative framework was tailored to cater for disabled people’s employment in the civil servant service. The promotional measures extend to members of their families. Various social integration and promotion are available in favor of the vulnerable groups, such as the National Solidarity Fund “26-26”, the National Employment Fund “21-21” and the Tunisian Solidarity Fund[3].

64. The Department of Social Affairs and the Department of Peace and Security of the AUC jointly organized a planning seminar on experience sharing on youth employment in post conflict countries, in December 2010 in Addis Ababa. The event was attended by representatives from Liberia, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi and Central Africa. The European Commission, the ILO, the IOM, USAID and the UNAIDS participated in the seminar. The AUC Departments of HRST and Infrastructure and Energy as well as the Directorate of Gender took also part to the event. There were presentation on the Ouagadougou 2004 Declaration and Plan of Action on Employment Promotion and Poverty Alleviation, and to the AU Policy for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) in Post-Conflict countries. The Socio--Economic Reconstruction and Development’s section of the PCRD contains the main strategies aiming at promotion of employment in post-conflict countries.

65. Member States and international partners also shared their experiences and programmes. The seminar elaborated recommendations and outlined a Project on Youth Employment in Post-Conflict Countries.

Conclusions:

66. Numerous programmes are conducted by MS in support to the vulnerable and marginalized groups, with the assistance of international partners. The main challenges remain Child Labour, HIV-AIDs at the workplace, Youth Employment in post-conflict settings and the protection of a cross border labour migration within the framework of integrated labour markets.

Recommendations:

a. The AUC and the RECs to organize the dialogue with the multinational and private sector on child labour practices, in particular, in the agricultural sector;

b. In collaboration with the RECs and with the support of international partners, the AUC should facilititate the implementation of the Project on Youth Employment in Post-Conflict Countries;

c. The AUC and the REC to facilititate experience exchange and capacity building in HIV-AIDS, TB and Malaria at the Workplace.

11. Mobilization of resources at national, regional and international levels.

67. By and large, Member States reported dire constraints in appropriately mobilizing the resource required for the effective implementation of their employment policies. As per the mandate of the Heads of States and Government established in the Follow-up Mechanism (Ouagadougou 2004), the AUC has prepared a Strategic Document on Resource Mobilization for the implementation of the Ouagadougou 2004 Plan of action.

68. To support this work, the AUC carried out a survey through the use of a questionnaire sent to Member States. The responses pointed to the same constraints: (i) quality of the relationship with the Ministry of Finance, Economy and Development Planning; (ii) absence of follow –up, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for employment policies, programmes and projects; (iii) the ranking of the Ministry of Employment and Labour within the governmental apparel; (iv) the lack of visibility of the employment sector and issues; (vi) the weak familiarization/sensitization of the National Parliament and Senates on employment issues; (vii) the quality of the programmes/projects (; etc.

69. The Strategic Document on Resource Mobilization makes recommendations for improved resource mobilization at national, regional and continental levels.

Conclusions:

70. MS and RECs are facing numerous technical and political constraints that hamper the mobilization of the resources required for the implementation of their employment policies. They are still confronted with the fear expressed by the Heads of States and Government against the lack of or inadequate implementation of the outcomes of their Extraordinary Summit in Ouagadougou in September 2004. The central priority policy recognized to employment is not yet duly translated into the budgetary process of the MS and by international partners. However, the trend of diversification of the international partners is bringing in the forefront strategic international development partners such as the European Commission, the African Development Bank and the World Bank.

Recommendation:

a. The AU, in close collaboration with the African Development Bank, should coordinate the implementation of the Strategic Document on Resource Mobilization in support to the implementation of the Ouagadougou 2004 Plan of Action on Employment Promotion and Poverty Alleviation.

Key Conclusions and Recommendations:

71. Member States still face the pervasive high level of unemployment and underemployment, mainly among the youth and women. Social unrest and political instability are today witnessed in wealthy countries and are bound to spread all over the continent if strong measures are not taken. Due to lack and/or inappropriateness of the required resources, the level of implementation of these policies and programmes remain the primary challenge.

72. There is a massive labour migration phenomenon within the continent, without real and strong labour market integration within the regions and between the AU RECs.

The labour market governance remains weak and is not responding satisfactorily to the expectations of the key stakeholders. The labour market information system continues to be a central challenge at all levels, and a constraint to effective employment and TVET policies. Post-conflict countries need to be supported in their endeavor to overcome the tremendous challenge of youth unemployment and underemployment which undermine the peace and development processes.

a. In collaboration with the RECs, the AUC should tap on the experience of the MS and support the set up of follow-up institutions in other MS and RECs. To this effect, they should publish a booklet on the existing experiences and organize capacity building activities; the AUC should review the Follow-up, M&E mechanisms, and prepare for their integration in the APRM by 2012;

b. In collaboration with the AUC, the Pan African Parliament, the ECOSOCC, and International partners, the RECs are called upon to speed up their undertaking towards the harmonization and coordination of their labour and social security laws in line with the AU policies’ provisions on labour migration ILO Core Labour Standards, as well as their labour migration policies;

c. In collaboration with the RECs, and international partners, the AUC will support the implementation of SPIREWORK by the MS. In collaboration with the RECs and the international partners (ADB, World Bank, ILO), the AUC will facilitate experience sharing among the RECs and capacity building on labour and social security harmonization, taking into account the necessity to build on the African Development Bank and the World Bank’s Strategies on Social Protection in Africa; The AUC is called upon to review its partnership framework with Brazil, China and India in view of strengthening their social protection, labour and employment components with effective implementation mechanisms at all levels;

d. The AUC and the RECs should work together and promote experience exchange and capacity building on youth, women and rural employment, with the support of international partners; MS should review their rural development policies in consideration of the youth employment and rural population living conditions requirements and expectations, and in doing so, integrate these sectoral policies with their national employment and labour policies. The AUC and the RECs should develop and implement an African Social Work Platform in support to development of solvable social services that create innovative jobs for the youth and women, in urban and rural areas;

e. In collaboration with the Pan African Employers’ Confederation (PEC), the AUC should advocate for further engagement of the private sector in youth and women productive employment promotion; in collaboration with the RECs, they will organize the dialogue with the multinational and private sector on child labour practices, in particular, in the agricultural sector; and facilititate experience exchange and capacity building in HIV-AIDS, TB and Malaria at the Workplace

f. The AUC should implement its initiatives for the strengthening and modernization of the labour market institutions in Africa, with the support of the international partners and in close collaboration with the RECs.; The AUC and RECs should undertake together regional labour market needs and opportunities analysis in view of a better and dynamic matching with the TVET system’s outputs;

g. The AUC and the EC are called upon to use the established mechanisms for ensuring and fostering the effective involvement of their respective MS and the AU RECs in the implementation of the 2nd Action Plan (2011-13) of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership;

h. The AU, in close collaboration with the African Development Bank, should coordinate the implementation of the Strategic Document on Resource Mobilization in support to the implementation of the Ouagadougou 2004 Plan of Action on Employment Promotion and Poverty Alleviation. In close collaboration with the AfDB, the AUC should approach the G20 in view of realizing their commitments on labour and social protection, to the benefit of African countries;

i. In collaboration with the RECs and with the support of international partners, the AUC should facilititate the implementation of the Project on Youth Employment in Post-Conflict Countries.

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[1] SADC Meeting of Ministers responsible for labour and employment, and social partners, 29-30 April 2010, Maputo (Mozambique)

[2] African Development Bank, A Window of Opportunity, New Initiative to accelerate the Response to Youth Unemployment

[3] Third Biennial Follow-up Report on the Implementation of the Ouagadougou 2004 Plan of Action

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