In order to promote the ratification and implementation of international labor standards by Guinea-Bissau, the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the International Labor Organization ( ILO), are organizing from July 11 to 12, 2023 in Bissau, a capacity building workshop for stakeholders on international labor standards and conventions, in particular Conventions Nos. 97, 102 and 143.
In his address, during the opening ceremony of the workshop, Dr Sintiki UGBE, Director of
Humanitarian and Social Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, on behalf of Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, welcomed the presence of Minister Cirilo, Mama Saliu Djalo, in charge of the Civil Service, Labour, Employment and Social Security and his team of experts and social partners.
She noted that the ECOWAS Commission has launched the ECOWAS Decent Work Regional Programme(EDWRP) for the period 2019 – 2026, to address the following deficits identified by a diagnostic study on decent work in the ECOWAS area conducted by ECOWAS and ILO: employment and labour market deficit, labour standards, social protection, labour administration and social dialogue.
Dr Sintiki called for the participants of the workshop to focus on the following key Conventions: C97 Labour Migration Conventions: C102 Social Security Convention, C143 Migrant Workers, C155 –Convention on Occupational Safety and Health at Work and C189 – Convention on Domestic Workers which Guinea-Bissau has not yet ratified in order to fill the gaps in decent work in the country.
While officially declaring the workshop open, the minister of labour, H.E. Cirilo Mama Saliu Djalo said that the government is very committed to improving the working conditions of its citizens and welcomed the presence of this very high-level mission of ECOWAS and the ILO.
He reassured ECOWAS that his country will make every effort to achieve the rapid ratification of ILO conventions, as has done recently for many other international human rights instruments.
It should be noted that two other speeches were made at the opening of this workshop, namely that of Mrs. Vanessa Phala , Head of the ILO National Office in charge of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and liaison with ECOWAS and that of Mr. Laureano Pereira, Secretary General of the National Union of Workers of Guinea Bissau.
“Despite all the progress that Guinea-Bissau has been able to make recently, mainly with the ratification of Convention No. 87 and the adoption of the new Labor Code, but also on other fronts, there are still challenges to overcome” said the ILO office manager.
Mrs. Vanessa Phala highlighted the good partnership that exists between her organization and ECOWAS, which has resulted in the ratification by all Member States of the fundamental ILO conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining, forced labour, of children, equality and non-discrimination, thus marking a significant advance in the improvement of the working and living conditions of the workers of the citizens of the community.
She concluded by commending the dynamism and commitment of the West African Organization for the well-being of the community.
SOURCE: newsghana.com.gh
