The Minister of Gender, labour and Social Development, Amongi Betty Ongom, has called for a speedy and peaceful resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine which she says has worsened the global unemployment problem.
Amongi was on Wednesday addressing the 110th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland.
The ILC, sometimes known as the World Parliament of labour, is the largest international gathering dedicated to the world of work. It is attended by representatives of governments, employers and workers from all the 187 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Member States.
The delegates discuss key world of work issues, adopt and monitor the application of International Labour Standards and set the ILO’s global priorities and budget.
This year’s Conference is being held against the backdrop of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Russia- Ukraine conflict, which events, according to Among, have significantly caused loss of employment globally.
“The Director General’s report notes that about 112 million fulltime jobs lost during the pandemic are yet to be recovered. Regrettably, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is undermining global reconstruction and recovery Agenda, disrupting economic activity and also causing job losses,” Amongi told the participants.
“We therefore appeal for a speedy and peaceful resolution of this conflict within the framework of a global consensus,” she adds.
She notes that given the interconnectedness of world economies, the path to recovery of growth with jobs calls for both domestic and global efforts which she said must be done through implementing decent work Agenda in the recovery plans.
“In pursuit of polices for recovery of jobs lost during the pandemic and creation of new ones, we must recall that “jobs don’t just happen.” We require shared commitments,” explains the Minister.
“Am glad that the report invites developed countries to put at the centre of the reconstruction and recovery agenda, an integrated structural transformation strategy that prioritizes reduction of inequality in LDC countries”
“Therefore, global efforts to employment creation should recall that the one size fit all approach has failed in the past. We call for partnerships and respect of individual country’s ownership in designing recovery plans,” she adds.
Uganda’s case in mitigating effects of COVID-19
The Minister informed participants that the government of Uganda has since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country in the early 2020, taken various measures to mitigate its effects as well as stimulating creation of jobs for the people.
These, she said, include a Cash transfer scheme for households that lost employment income due to COVID-19, promotion of apprenticeship programmes, support to the private sector through provision of low interest stimulus credit and women specific credit and financial support under WB grant for women business totaling USD 250m.
The others is the low interest agricultural credit support to rural communities (PDM), amendment to allow partial withdrawal by members from their social security retirement funds to help them ameliorate the impact of COVID-19
“This, because we know that employment creation is critical and that work should be decent. We remain committed and bound by ILO Declaration of Philadelphia which in part reaffirms that: Poverty anywhere constitutes a danger to prosperity everywhere,” says Among.
She emphasized that Uganda welcomes the discussion on social and solidarity economy, which seeks to prioritise simultaneously social and financial profitability as well as the inclusion of safe and healthy working conditions in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work.
Uganda, according to the Minister also appreciates focus on Lifelong learning and skilling and support the efforts towards setting standards of quality apprenticeships, addressing informality and gender inequality issues in the world of work.
Meanwhile, in Geneva, a delegation from Uganda led by Amongi, also has employers and workers led by Owere Usher the Chairman National Organization of Trade Unions (NOTU).