By Own Correspondent

ZIMBABWE is not moving as fast as possible in meeting a sizable number of decent work targets amid calls to accelerate the pace, a recent report by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has said.

The report notes that the Southern Africa nation faces significant challenges in meeting SDG 1 which speaks on ending poverty in all its forms everywhere.

“In 2017, the proportion of the population that was deemed poor was 70,5% and extreme poverty increased from 22,5% up from 29,3% levels recorded between 2011 and 2012.

“The increase in extreme poverty in rural areas is attributed to a worsening economic environment. In urban areas, deindustrialisation and job losses have led to an increase in the informalisation of the economy,” the ITUC said.

The global labour organ said reaching target 1,3 which speaks on the implementation of nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures is far off the mark, as in 2019 alone, only 2% of the population were receiving a monthly pension or some social security funds, very low compared to the demand.

The ITUC said Zimbabwe’s 2020 budgetary allocation towards social protection was 0,7% significantly less than the 4,5% of the GDP stipulated in the Social Policy for Africa.

“Social protection is fragmented and dependent on donor funding. Reaching target 5,4 which speaks on the recognition and value of unpaid care and domestic work remains far off, with women in Zimbabwe spending 6,5 hours per week on all unpaid care work compared to 4,5 hours for men,” the report said.

With regard to target 5,5 which speaks on ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life, women have lower completion rates at upper secondary level of 40,8% for women and 59,2% for men.

Apart from this, the report notes that the Zimbabwean economy is dominated by informality and in 2019 alone, the proportion of informal employment outside of agriculture stood at 76%, and 19% of workers were considered to be in precarious or vulnerable employment, an increase from 13% in 2014.

“This poses a challenge to reaching target 8,3 which supports productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalisation and growth of Micro Small Medium Enterprises. The 2019 unemployment rate stood at 16,4% higher for women – 17,2% than for men at 15,7%,” the report said.