The African Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), on the occasion of the World Day for Decent Work (WDMD), commends the workers of Africa for their sacrifices and continuing services to family, community and for national progress. The World Day for Decent Work, celebrated on the 7th of October each year, reminds us of the important victories of the workers and throws light on campaigns and union actions for justice and solidarity across borders.
This year, the theme "Investing in Care for Gender Equality" calls us to mobilize and send a strong message to our leaders for better investment in care, which is fundamental to achieving gender equality at work and in society.
Investment in the care economy will make a decisive contribution to ensure that the right to health and to social security as fundamental human rights can become reality.
Investing in care is also about universal access to social protection especially on health and care, bearing in mind the valiant men and women who struggle every day to provide care and preserve the lives of their fellow workers at the expense of their very own.
In most countries in Africa, access to health care is a crucial issue that is exacerbated by increasingly expensive health services as against dwindling financial means.
Access to care has a very important social and economic impact. Indeed, there is a close link between health and economic development. Healthy workers have higher productivity, and the supply of labor increases when morbidity and mortality rates are at their lowest.
ITUC-Africa joins the ITUC campaign to demand better investment in care for gender equality and universal social protection for all.
Issued on 7 October 2019
Kwasi Adu-Amankwah
