Algiers, Algeria, 29 April 2017: The Ministerial meeting of the Second Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment (STC-SDLE-2) that was held at the Palais des Nations in Algiers, Algeria, from 24 to 28 April 2017 officially closed on 28 April 2017. The meeting was marked with the theme: “Investment in Employment and Social Security for Harnessing the Demographic Dividend”. Following in-depth discussions and deliberation on multi-faceted social development, labour and employment agenda items, the Ministers’ decisions culminated in the ‘Algiers Declaration on Investment in Employment and Social security for Harnessing the Demographic Dividend.’ In addition, the Ministers endorsed the Draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for onward submission to the STC on Justice and Legal Affairs.

H.E. Mrs Amira ElFadil, Commissioner for Social Affairs expressed profound gratitude and thanked the Algerian government under the high patronage of the President, H.E. Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, for graciously hosting the STC-SLDE-2.

The Commissioner applauded that the engagement was fruitful, commendable and a total success. “Hereafter, our focus will concentrate on implementation; a domain where we need to exert more energy to ensure that all the great work here in Algeria will not go in vain.” Stating the work to be done, H.E. Mrs. ElFadil noted: Fast track the implementation of the Protocol on Persons with Disability; take appropriate measures for the formulation of national and regional domestication documents on the 5 year Priority Programme for the implementation of the Ouaga + 10 Declaration and Plan of Action on Employment, Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Development; integrate the roadmap on Demographic Dividend into national policy frameworks on employment; stepping up national measures on women empowerment in African labour markets under the human rights perspective and continue to conduct the Campaign to End Child Marriage.
H.E. Mr. Mohamed El-Ghazi, Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Security expressed his hope that shared experiences on issues presented would help to harmonize policies to address the social needs of the people and to promote decent work. In strengthening partnership, he added: “I am convinced that the only possible way is the strengthening of South-South cooperation, particularly intra-African cooperation.”

On the future of work, the Ministers decided that the AUC should coordinate and harmonize the African Common Position on the Future of Work in Africa in collaboration with the ILO regional office and involve the Pan African Parliament for necessary legislative reforms.

The Ministers decided to also fast track the entry into force of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa and in this regard, the African Union Commission should accelerate sensitization of Member States on the existence of the Protocol on the Rights of Older Persons. The Ministers acknowledged that the handicraft sector needs to be formalized and governments and decided to take measure for extending social protection coverage for the workers in the sector. The Ministerial Panel on Employment, Social Development and the Demographic Dividend emphasized that an African Common Position should be developed to address the harassment and modern slavery that is afflicting irregular migrants and decided that AUC should assist with the dialogue for a multi- lateral agreement on labour migration, in particular with the Middle East and Europe.

On women empowerment and labor markets, Member States were called upon to ensure implementation of previous decisions of AU policy organs in line with the specific targets Agenda 2063, including that of the previous STC on Social Development, Labour and Employment, as well as the implementation of the conclusion of the 61st Session of the UN Committee on the Status of Women to reap the demographic dividend.

The Ministers furthermore decided to engage on transitioning from the informal to the formal economy and called for joint implementation of AU and ILO policy frameworks and instruments in this regard with the assistance of AU and ILO.

The meeting was attended by delegates from 46 AU Member States, AU Organs, Regional Economic Communities, UN Agencies, Inter-Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations and cooperating partners.

The meeting noted that the STC-SDLE-3 will be hosted by the Republic of Guinea in April 2019.

For further information, please contact:

Amb. Olawale Maiyegun (PhD), Director, Department of Social Affairs, Tel: +251 115 18
2210 , E-mail: MaiyegunO@africa-union.org;
Dr. Johan Strijdom, Tel: +251-115182217; E-mail: StrijdomJ@africa-union.org

Mr. Oumar Diop, Tel: +251-115182278 E-mail: DiopO@africa-union.org

Media Contact: Challal Djamel, chargé de la communication, Ministère du Travail, de l`Emploi et de la Sécurite Sociale – Algérie , Tel : 213 772330320, Email : chaldjamel@gmail.com

Rahel Akalewold (Mrs.) Information and Communication Directorate, Tel:+251911683737, E-mail: rahela@africa-union.org

More information:

Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Websites: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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