Maravi

(HERALD) ‘Formulate policies to boost informal sector’

‘Formulate policies to boost informal sector’
Herald Reporter

THERE is need for Sadc to formulate legislation and policies that promote the informal economy which has a potential to contribute to the socio-economic development of the continent, the Minister of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare, Cde Nicholas Goche, has said. He made the remarks yesterday when he officially opened a regional workshop on Labour Administration Systems and Labour Law Reform: Approach for the Small and Medium Enterprises and the Informal Economy.

"The highest priority must be given to policies that meet the central aspiration of women and men for decent work, to raise the productivity of the informal economy and to integrate it into the mainstream economy and to enhance the competitiveness of enterprise and economies," Cde Goche said.

He said there was also need to harness the growth potential of the informal sector, to provide a viable and sustainable approach to improve people’s social and economic well being.

"I believe that governments should come up with ways of extending the scope of labour administration, to fully cover the informal sector, both in law and practice," He said.

He challenged the participants to come up with measures that can be employed by governments in developing the SME sector. Cde Goche noted that there was need to protect the rights of workers in the informal sector that were being violated.

"These rights include, the right to fair and collectively bargained remuneration as well as the right to healthy and safe work practices," he said.

He challenged the participants to also find ways of improving labour administration systems, particularly in view of the HIV and Aids scourge that continues to blight the region.

"Through this workshop, you should also find ways of improving our labour administrative systems, to adequately ensure that the right, not to be discriminated against on account of one’s HIV and Aids status even in the informal sector, is protected," he said.

Also speaking at the same occasion, African Regional Labour Administration Centre executive director, Mr Sammy Nyambari said the world was undergoing rapid changes as a result of globalisation but the region was lagging behind.

He said legislative changes in the region had been very slow, resulting in the existing legislation failing to keep abreast of new developments.

Mr Nyambari also reiterated that the informal sector has a critical role to play and African governments should take advantage of this and promote entrepreneurship.

The five-day workshop seeks to discuss labour laws, contract employment, minimum wage, working time, health and safety, anti-discrimination, unfair dismissal, child labour and trade unions.

It also seeks to highlight the role of social dialogue in enabling the articulation of legislation and policies that create an enabling environment for all levels of enterprise.

The workshop also seeks to extend representation throughout the informal economy and acting as a conduit for the establishment of links between informal economic units and formal enterprise.

The workshop, being attended by delegates from the Government, employers and workers organisations from Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe, will also look at the challenges faced by the informal sector.

The workshop was organised by ARLAC, which advocates for decent work and the implementation of the Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

The organisation also strives to uphold conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity for all workers.

Labels: FARMERS, MARKETEERS, SADC, SMEs, THE HERALD, WORKSHOPS

posted by MrK @ 8:17 PM