The International Workers' Day, marks a day to celebrate tremendous efforts and contributions of workers across the globe. It’s also a moment to cast our eyes back to reflect on the struggles and challenges that workers continue to face. As we commemorate this day, it is important to recognize the crucial role that workers play in building and sustaining our economies, our communities, and our societies as a whole.
Here in Africa, we are proud of our rich history of labor activism and the many strides we have made in advancing the rights and welfare of workers. From the labor movements of the 20th century to the present day, workers across our continent have fought for decent work, better wages, safer working conditions, and more equitable treatment. Taking an example of migrant workers; they often remit funds to their home countries, which then provides a significant source of income and support to local economic development. Their skills transfer helps to develop local industries and create new job opportunities, new areas of entrepreneurship as well as increased trade.
We must also recognize the critical roles that other workers have played, starting with those who have daringly responded to various pandemics, the vital farmers and all those involved in the agricultural chain who work hard to combat hunger, as well as small business owners and multinational corporations that have created jobs and opportunities for millions of people and kept our economies running while keeping poverty at bay. We must not forget that the future and aspirations of this continent are shouldered by these noble sons and daughters of Africa in all workplace sectors.
Despite these successes, however, we know that there is still much work to be done. Too many workers in Africa continue to labor under exploitative conditions, earning low wages and lacking basic workplace protection. In many cases, workers are denied their fundamental human rights, including the right to form unions and engage in collective bargaining. They are also vulnerable to human trafficking and forced labor, face challenges in accessing social protection, healthcare, and other basic social services, making it hard for them to integrate into their host communities and provide for their families.
As the African Union Commission, Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, it is our duty to take concrete action to address these issues and to support respect, protection and promotion of the rights and dignity of workers within and across the continent. This calls for working together to strengthen labor laws and regulations, promoting social protections for workers including migrant workers, and fostering a culture of respect for workers' rights and dignity in our societies to create an enabling environment that enables them to thrive and prosper.
In this regard, we have launched a number of initiatives and programs to promote and protect the rights of workers and strengthen labour governance across the continent. Through the Joint Labour Migration Program (JLMP), we have been working with Member States governments, Regional Economic Communities, development partners, and civil society organizations to strengthen gender responsive migration policies, building capacity of key stakeholders in labour migration, enhancing collection and utilization disaggregated data to inform policy and planning, as well as supporting structures to enable access to decent work, social protection and mutual recognition of skills and qualifications by African men and women migrant workers. AU has also mounted spirited campaign to advance decent and sustainable jobs in Africa.
Through the AU Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, Africa reaffirms commitment to the principles and values of universal human rights. The AU pledges to pursue equal opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation and recognizes the importance of ensuring that migrant workers in a regular situation do not have their residence and work permits automatically withdrawn. We also pledge to provide effective redress mechanisms for migrant workers, to eliminate child labor, and to combat xenophobia, racial discrimination, and ethnic hatred. We will work to implement and raise awareness of legislation aimed at addressing and eliminating human trafficking, abuse, violence, and harassment, as well as gender-based violence and harassment in the community and within the world of work.
Recognizing that the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers is a joint responsibility of both countries of origin and destination at all stages of migration, African Union aims towards the facilitation of labor movement and promote inter-ministerial and cross-border coordination.
On this International Workers' Day, let us all renew our commitment to building a more just and equitable world for workers everywhere. This includes protecting their right to fair and equal treatment, ensuring safe and decent working conditions, and providing access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and social protection. We must also continue to foster a culture of dialogue and collaboration among all stakeholders to build a more inclusive and sustainable African economy. This dialogue, enabled by programs like the JLMP, will create more sustained and streamlined structures for the optimization of safe labor conditions.
Together, we can work to attain the “Africa We Want” through creating a future where all workers enjoy respect and protection of human rights and are treated with respect and dignity, as well creating the work environment where their contributions are recognized and valued.
