By Own Correspondent

INTERNATIONAL Labour Organisation (ILO) has called on the  Zimbabwe government to place job rich centered economic growth at the core of ongoing policy reforms.

The calls come against a background where studies by the global labour powerhouse have revealed a mismatch between economic policies being implemented and their impact on job creation.

Speaking on the current state of the country’s labour market recently, ILO country director for Zimbabwe and Namibia , Hopolang Phororo implored authorities to intertwine job rich growth within the fabric of the policy framework.

“It is important that the national macro-economic policy framework identifies and deliberately pursues specific employment outcomes. The relevant targets could include raising participation and employment rates , higher earnings , better access to labour regulations and social insurance programs, as well as better enforcement of core labour standards,” she said.

Phororo said these targets would then inform policy interventions with three interrelated objectives towards promoting the creation of formal employment, improving the quality of existing informal jobs, and facilitating access to employment, particularly for the most vulnerable workers.

“To this effect, the ILO is working in collaboration with UNDP and other UN agencies to support this important process in view of incorporating the strategy into a comprehensive National Employment Policy ,” she said.

The ILO boss argued that economies grow when more working age household members work and when each job in the economy becomes more productive.

“Households escape poverty when labour income , the main source for Zimbabwean workers  income for most households , increases. It is also likely that better employment opportunities   will foster social stability and consolidate democracy,”  said Phororo.

Currently, Zimbabwean workers are among the world’s least paid amid a very negative country tag associated with the country in terms of labour standards globally.