Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Zambia (Ratification: 1979)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Active employment policy and poverty reduction strategy. The Committee notes the replies provided by the Government in August 2009 to its 2008 observation. The Committee recalls that the Government formulated the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) for the period 2006 to 2010. The Committee notes that in the report provided on the Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention, 1962 (No. 117), the Government explained that  the decision to develop a National Development Plan was to enhance national ownership as FNDP was considered “home grown” because it was not driven by donor agencies. The National Development Plan also included other sectors which were integral parts of poverty reduction strategy such as governance and public safety. The Government indicates that since the life span of the FNDP will end in 2010, the process of formulating a Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) has commenced. The Committee invites the Government to supply a report on Convention No. 122 containing detailed information on the principal policies pursued and measures taken with a view to ensuring that there is work for all who are available for and seeking work, including particular reference to policies and measures implemented under the National Development Plan.

Measures for workers infected with HIV. The Government indicates in its report that it has adopted policy measures to resolve challenges associated with HIV and AIDS in the workplace and to ensure that there is work for all who are available for and seeking work. The Government also states that workers’ representative organs are encouraged to play a leading role in the fight against HIV and AIDS.  The Committee also notes with interest various Government efforts envisaged to encourage the development of HIV and AIDS policies at the workplace which includes: workplace-based HIV and AIDS prevention and care programmes throughout the country; ensuring protection from harassment and discrimination for HIV-positive employees; proscribing compulsory HIV and AIDS testing at places of work; integrating HIV and AIDS support services in collective bargaining; and facilitating the establishment of voluntary counselling and testing facilities to enable employees to know their status. The Committee recalls that the Conference adopted the HIV and AIDS Recommendation, 2010 (No. 200), which invites Members to promote the retention in work and recruitment of persons living with HIV. Members should consider extending support through periods of employment and unemployment, including, where necessary, income-generating opportunities for persons living with HIV, or persons affected with HIV or AIDS (Paragraph 22 of Recommendation No. 200). The Committee would welcome receiving further information on the implementation of its HIV/AIDS policy and how it takes into consideration the effects of HIV and AIDS on employment generation.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Government indicates in its report that it celebrates consultations with those working in the rural and informal sectors through initiatives such as the Private Sector Development Programme (PSD), which engages the private sector to help identify legislation that impedes rural and informal business. During the formulation of the National Employment and Labour Market Policy, the Government embarked on nation-wide consultations with their social partners. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report further explanation on the participation of social partners in ongoing decision-making for national employment policy and poverty reduction strategy as well as the involvement of the Tripartite Consultative Labour Council and the National Employment and Labour Sector Advisory Group in this process. The Committee would also welcome more indications of the involvement of representatives for those working in the rural sector and the informal sector in the consultations required by the Convention.

Youth employment. The Government indicates that in response to youth employment challenges, strategies have been incorporated into the National Employment and Labour Market Policy to increase youth access to practical skills training and employment. These efforts include the promotion of specialized skilled trades through various youth skills training centres. The Committee notes the inter-governmental collaboration and efforts to support societal integration of especially vulnerable groups such as orphans and street children. The Committee asks the Government to report on the impact of the measures and programmes implemented to respond to the employment needs of young workers along with an assessment of their success for increasing their employment opportunities and participation.

Education and vocational training. The Government indicates that training of vulnerable groups is addressed through inter-governmental collaboration between the Ministry of Science Technology and Vocational Training and the Ministry of Gender and Women in Development. Women have been most affected by the erosion in employment opportunities, especially in the formal sector. Programmes targeting women and other vulnerable groups are being undertaken by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to facilitate and enhance accessibility to employment and to reduce the gender imbalance in employment. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report the impact of training measures taken to meet the needs for productive employment of vulnerable groups of workers and specifically for women and older people.

Article 2. Collection and use of employment data. In its reply to the previous observation, the Government indicates that it has developed and strengthened the Labour Market Information System (LMIS). A Labour Market Information Steering Committee has been established. The last Labour Force Survey (LFS) was conducted in 2008 as a follow-up to the 2005 LFS. The Committee notes that a database comprising all key Labour Market Indicators (including the Decent Work and Millennium Development Goals Employment Indicators) has been put in place. The Government also intends to improve quality and availability of labour market information through collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Central Statistics Office. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the implementation and success of the employment measures adopted from the collaboration of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Central Statistics Office. In this respect, the Committee stresses the importance of compiling and analysing statistical data and trends as a basis for deciding measures of employment policy. The Committee intends to follow up on progress made for the development of labour market information systems, for the purposes of ensuring that policy-makers have up-to-date and accurate information to guide their decisions (see paragraphs 69–70 of the 2010 General Survey on employment instruments). The Committee therefore requests the Government to describe the measures taken to collect and analyse statistical data disaggregated by age and gender, and other data concerning the size and distribution of the labour force, the nature and extent of unemployment and underemployment and trends therein, as a basis for deciding on measures of employment policy.