Enabel in
Uganda, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and partners have
organised the 2nd National Labour Convention and Expo 2024, in Kampala
under the theme: “Improving Access to Justice: Equity and the Future of
Work.” The event is part of the Pre-Labour Day activities and provided
a platform for stakeholders, including government agencies, employer
associations, workers' organisations, and legal experts to collaborate on
strategies for enhancing access to justice in the workplace by addressing
systemic issues, raising awareness, and strengthening enforcement mechanisms to
create a conducive environment for labour rights protection, ultimately
contributing to improved productivity and economic growth in Uganda.
The Permanent
Secretary Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MoGLSD), Aggrey
David Kibenge in his opening remarks said that workplaces with high levels of
labour justice have higher productivity as a result of morale, reduced work
conflicts, and increased retention of talents at work. “When workers feel
valued and protected, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated which
positively impacts productivity”, said Aggrey David Kibenge.
Labour justice
encompasses a wide range of rights and protection for workers. It involves
ensuring fair wages, reasonable working hours, safe working conditions,
non-discrimination, and freedom from exploitation. These do not only boost
productivity but also uphold human dignity because labour is central to the
production and consumption of goods & services. It is key to income
distribution and national savings and therefore a critical determinant of
economic growth.
The labour
department at the MoGLSD is mandated to formulate and implement laws, policies,
and programs. It also serves as a policy advisory and coordination arm of
government on aspects of labour, industrial relations, and productivity.
The president of
Uganda Law Society Mr. Benard Oundo in his remarks during the event said that
there is a rapidly evolving social-economic landscape and ensuring access to
Justice for all workers is paramount to upholding their rights, promoting
fairness in employment practices, and fostering inclusive economic growth. “Together
we have the power to shape policies, enact reforms, and build a more just
equitable society for all”, added Benard Oundo.
The Belgian
Ambassador to Uganda, Mr. Luke Pearson while addressing the labour convention
said that a lot of jobs in Uganda are in the informal sector, which is least
protected by labour laws. “We need to work together to ensure equitable access
to labour justice for all workers” he added. Mr. Pearson added that in Uganda, the
government of Belgium is contributing to the achievement of the above through
decent job creation and social protection for all. “We should look beyond the
creation of jobs, and live to ensure that those employed are in decent jobs”,
said Mr. Pearson.
The Deputy
Attorney General, Hon. Jackson Kafuzi in his communication said that the Industrial
Court of Uganda is an important forum that has been established to adjudicate
labour disputes and is not bound to the strict rules of evidence. He encouraged
the Workers’ MPs to organize regional sensitization conferences to teach
workers about their rights, and responsibilities and the use of the court to
address labour disputes.
The keynote
speaker, Hon. Justice Nzioki wa Makau, a Judge of the Industrial Court of Kenya
in his speech said that labour disputes generally arise from noncompliance with
employment contracts, unfair dismissal, and discrimination.
The Minister for
Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Nobert Mao in his closing remarks said
that the frontier of labour justice lies in the organisation of workers. “We
need a generation of workers who have the skills to organize themselves to
demand for their rights”, said Mao.
Hon. Nobert Mao
added that the ministry is also mainstreaming Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR) to deal with labour disputes quickly and cheaply. He pledged the
allocation of more judges to the Industrial Court and its decentralization to
the regions to quickly address and respond to labour issues across the country.
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