Employment Generation in Zimbabwe:

1
Employment Generation in Zimbabwe

• Current Constraints and Alternative Strategies
• In Memory of the late Professor Guy Mhone
• IDEAS Young Scholars Conference 25-27 January
  2007, Nairobi, Kenya
• Tafadzwa Roberta Muropa
• ActionAid International-Zimbabwe
• HIV/AIDS Programme Officer

2
Outline of the presentation

• Introduction
• Current constraints in the political-economy of
  contemporary Zimbabwe
• 1980-1990
• 1990-2000
• 2000-2007
• Alternative strategies- solidarity between the
  labour movements and the social movements
  focusing on socio-economic justice

3
Introduction

• Young people have an important role in social and
  economic development of any society, given the
  fact that they constitute about 50 of any
  countrys population.
• Employment creation in Zimbabwe has to be un
  understood within the political economic set up
  of the nation, looking at the period,
  1980(Zimbabwe attained its independence from the
  British colonial rule) to 1990,( with the
  introduction of ESAP-Economic Structural
  Adjustment programs which put emphasis on free
  market at the expense of peoples livelihoods ,up
  to the present date
• The rise of the informal sector with the young
  people dominating the scene should as be taken
  into account, as a result of ESAP
• During this period, one also needs to appreciate
  the role of labor movement (ZCTU- Zimbabwe
  Congress of Trade Unions)) in light of growing
  opposition politics in Zimbabwe and the role of
  young workers in labor movements and national
  politics
• Challenges of migration ,unemployment, HIV/AIDS
  ,lack of participation in decision making
  processes at all levels should also be analyzed
  as part of sub regional challenges that the SADC
  region has to look into.

4
Introduction(continued)

• Alternatives to unemployment and economic
  globalization in the region have always been in
  existence-these include the integration of the
  informal sector communal sector into the formal
  sector- through agrarian reforms ,income
  generating projects,-(acknowledgement of the
  works of the Late Professor Guy Mhone, Dr Godfrey
  Kanyenze of LEDRIZ- Labor and Economic
  Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe, in
  collaboration with reputable labor research
  institutions and labor movements in the region as
  a whole towards the ANSA project( Alternatives to
  neo-Liberalism in Southern Africa)
• At the end of the day, young people need to be
  included in a decision making processes
  irrespective of political affiliation by the
  governments
• Young women need to claim the space within the
  labor movements in articulating women's struggles
  within the fight for labor rights.
• Policies should also be implemented by the
  responsible institutions
• Mentoring of young people in the labor movements
  by the older generation is very vital in carrying
  forward the workers struggles in the future.

5
Zimbabwe 1980-1990

• Zimbabwe inherited an economy that had been built
  on isolating the formal economy from the informal
  and communal economy, what G.Mhone calls the
  enclave
• The economy had also been built along racial
  lines- where the white race were mainly employed
  in the formal sector and only a few blacks and
  people of the Asian race were into his sector on
  the basis of their educational equalizations(
  UNRSD- G.Mhone 2001- Labour migration and race )
• Relations between the labor movement(ZCTU-Zimbabwe
  Congress of Trade Unions) and the government
  were on a good note as the governments policies
  were centers on improving the livelihoods of
  workers around the country.

6
Zimbabwe1990-2000

• The shift from a socialist economy to a market
  based economy ( ESAP-IMF World Bank) saw the
  gains of independence being reversed as the
  government adopted these policies in a bid to
  improve the economy
• This was also experienced across the region and
  other nations in the Global South
• Sour relations between the labor movement and the
  government- many works got retrenched- negative
  impact on their families, public services being
  cut off from state education,health,social
  services,)
• The impact of HIV/AIDS on workers increased due
  to a decline in health services
• Rise of the informal sector, which saw many women
  and young men engaged in the cross border
  trading and other crafts as an alternative source
  of livelihood
• Role of labor movements in the growth of
  opposition politics as an alternative institution
  in driving the concerns of workers and poor
  people in a on party state-National Working
  Peoples Convention( 1998-2000),food riots(
  1998),constitutional referendum( 1999-2000)
• How political repression had a negative impact on
  absorbing young people into the formal economy
  those from tertiary institutions and those who
  would not have passed well)
• The land question ,arose during this period, as a
  way of addressing colonial imbalances and
  allocating resources equitably among all people,
  including the young people.

7
2000-2007

• Realization of the important role that the
  informal sector and communal sector play in the
  national economy by the state..
• But high rate of unemployment still stands at
  80,coupled with brain drain( young skilled labor
  ins each of greener pastures' overseas), high
  death rate attributed to HIV/AIDS, migration
  (unskilled labor) into the SADC region(
  replication of labor migration in the pre 1980s
  to satisfy the needs of capital' down South
  Africa, declining stands in educational among
  other factors
• Creation of the Ministry of Small to Medium
  Enterprises by the government-resources could be
  mobilized on a large scale
• Impact of Operation Restore Order/
  Murambatsvina-on the informal sector
  ,especially on the youth and women-displacement
  and evictions made by the state police in city
  centers without offering alternative housing and
  business strucutres-18 May 2005
• Efforts made by the international
  community-ILO,in October 2005,- SADC Youth
  Unemployment Conference, October 2005, in a bid
  to address the challenges that affect young
  people in the sub region
• Polarization of national politics- young
  unskilled labor being used in political violence-
  negatively impacting the development of the
  national economy.
• High rate of migration- affecting the formal
  sector-though within the communal sector- issues
  of collateral and technical expertise can be an
  inhibiting factor in owning land
• Lack of meaningful engagement between young
  people, the government and various stakeholders
  in addressing the challenges that young people
  face
• Lack of policy implementation by the responsible
  ministries ( Youth and Development, Women's
  Affairs, Labor and Social Welfare, Small and
  Medium Enterprises, Higher Education and
  Education, Sports and Culture)
• How to curb HIV/AIDS and all forms of violence
  among young people

8
What are the alternatives?

• Integration of the informal and communal economy
  into the formal sector which is shrinking against
  the informal sector- as a way pf creating
  meaningful employment among young people
• Regular consultation between young people and
  various stakeholders-government, the private
  sector international community,labour movement
  traditional leaders, among others on addressing
  challenges that young people are facing and how
  to tackle them irrespective of political
  affiliation,race,sex,gender,tribal lines
• How to curb migration of young skilled labor and
  unskilled labor into the region and
  abroad-intensifying lobbying and advocacy work
  at SADC platforms
• Pressurizing governments to honor their
  commitments made at national, regional and
  international levels- in relation of young people
  and promoting employment creation-ILO,AU,SADC,ECOW
  AS,EAC,COMESA,
• Engagement between social movements and academics
  in building intellectual skills among young
  people in addressing their concerns in relation
  to reviving the national economy
• Building leadership skills among young people in
  the labor movements through mentoring and
  encouraging inter generational dialogue in a bid
  to promote development
• Addressing gender imbalances within the labor
  movements and encourage young women to be
  involved in leadership roles in addressing
  women's struggles in the broader struggles of
  workers across national, regional and
  international boundaries,

9
Conclusion

• Labor movements should continue to be actively
  involved in anti-globalization movements at all
  levels- reflection on the success of the Social
  Forum process since 2001,Seattle 1999 WTO
  Ministerial Conferences, World Bank IMF Boycott
  Demonstrations, and other human rights
  demonstrations at international ,regional and
  national levels)
• The struggle against the domination of global
  capital on people's lies can only be won if all
  forces join in bin unions-(labor movements, young
  people, academics, like minded social movements,
  feminist, HIV/AIDS activists, environment
  activists among others)
• The late Professor Guy Mhone would have been
  very proud of how his work has impacted on young
  women and men across the continent and globally
  in ensuring that young people's concerns are
  taken seriously in relation to meaningful
  employment creation
• May his great works continue to inspire young
  people and those to come to look for alternative
  strategies in dealing with unemployment in Africa
  and the rest of the Global South in order to
  create a better world!!!
• Another world for young people is possible and
  is already in the making!!
• I Thank You ,Ndatenda,Ngiyabonga,Asante Sana!!