By Alois Vinga

The ZCTU has partnered with the Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe (EMCOZ), Government and the International Labour Organisation to launch an initiative which facilitates the transition from informal to the informal economy in Bulawayo.

The initiative is part of the Employment Promotion and Labour Market Governance Programme (2019 -2020), which in part, seeks to facilitate transition to formality in Zimbabwe, in the process, deepening the respect for workers' fundamental rights and ensuring opportunities for income security, livelihoods and entrepreneurship.

The intervention is also contributing to the broader efforts to promote the creation, preservation and sustainability of enterprises and decent jobs in the formal economy and the coherence of macroeconomic, employment, social protection and other social policies.

Speaking at the initiative’s launch recently, ZCTU's Head of the Health and Safety Department, Nathan Banda said the initiative has come at an opportune moment.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express our support for the intervention as employees towards this initiative which will positively impact on job creation, economic growth and more importantly improving the observance of Health and Safety in the informal sector,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the ILO country director, Hopalang Phororo said the city of kings will be the project's starting point and key lessons drawn from there will be shared with key stakeholders. “Lessons learnt from Bulawayo will be of use to national actors and beyond by informing us to develop better insights to develop more responsive policies. We also hope that the project be helpful to deepen the respect for workers' fundamental rights and ensure opportunities for income security, livelihoods and entrepreneurship,” she said.

The project's brief seen by The Worker says the site in Bulawayo was selected on the potential it presents to become a model for other micro-enterprises. The informal sector association representing the traders at this selected site has been able to collaborate with private property owners and negotiate long-term leases. Despite being progressive, the site remains with many decent work deficits, which could provide an opportunity for policy lessons.