Zambia to continue protecting workers’ rights -envoy
ZAMBIA will remain devoted to the code of equal pay for equal work, creation of decent jobs and promoting the right to collective bargaining, says Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe.
Mr Kapambwe has informed the UN that Lusaka recognised that protection of workers’ rights was critical to securing decent work for its citizens and sustained economic progression. He said this in statement he delivered at the commencement of the Third Committee during the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Agenda Item 28 on Social Development in New York. Mr Kapambwe said the Zambian Government had taken concerted efforts to ensure relevant laws safeguarding workers’ rights in workplaces were fully enforced and respected by routine labour inspections across the country. He stressed that the undesirable levels of poverty most of Africa was facing, coupled with unemployment and other socials challenges required that nations forged strong partnerships to tackle their economic and social ills. He said Zambia was always ready to work with all development partners in its quest to reduce poverty and inequalities among its citizens. He explained that Government’s commitment to inspire the welfare of its citizens, especially the most vulnerable in society is motivated by the understanding that investment in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and tourism would be a sustainable solution to reducing poverty and vulnerability. “Poverty eradication remains a major challenge in many countries around the world including Zambia. Although poverty levels in Zambia have been on the decline, there still remain concern that the levels are unacceptably high particularly in rural communities and among vulnerable groups in such as women and persons with disabilities. This is despite Zambia having been recording positive economic growth,” Mr Kapambwe said. And Mr Kapambwe said that the over-dependency on copper, which over the years has been experiencing a steady decline in prices on the international market, had largely contributed to the unacceptable levels of poverty in Zambia. He said the HIV/AIDS pandemic had also exacerbated the economic and social challenges Zambians were going through as the scourge had continued to ravage the country’s productive age bracket. He said that while Zambia is facing the social and economic challenges, the Government has taken practical measures such as the introduction of the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) to ameliorate the suffering of the poor and households headed by the aged and those with disabilities.