Preventing forced labour in Africa through skills and lifelong learning
English
ILO
The International Labour Organization is the tripartite U.N. agency that promotes Decent Work through employment, social security, labour standards and social dialogue. Its work on skills development is guided by the conceptual framework on Skills to improve productivity, employment growth, and development agreed in 2008 by representatives of Governments, Employers’ Associations and Workers’ Associations. Research, policy advice, and pilot projects and technical cooperation programmes to apply good practices in different circumstances across its 185 member States aims to boost the employability of workers, the productivity and competitiveness of enterprises, and the inclusiveness of economic growth. The ILO Secretariat in offices in 40 countries works with Ministries of Labour, employers’ organizations, and trade unions to integrate skills development into national and sector development strategies in order to better meet current labour market needs and to prepare for the jobs of the future; to expand access to employment-related training so that youth, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups are better able to acquire skills and secure productive and decent work; and to improve the ability of public employment services to provide career guidance, maintain labour exchange services, and deliver active labour market programmes.For more information regarding the ILO’s work on skills and employability go to: http://www.ilo.org/skills/lang--en/index.htm; for ILO/Cinterfor's Knowledge Management Plarform, see: http://www.oitcinterfor.org
Other sources
Experts from many international, regional and national agencies generously share their views, experiences and findings on skills, helping policy-makers among other stakeholders to understand the linkages between education, training and the world of work, and how to integrate skills into national development planning to promote employment and economic growth.
Lifelong learning
There is a critical need for a greater overall investment in education and training, particularly in developing countries. Education and training investments should be closely linked to economic and employment growth strategies and programmes. Responsibility should be shared between the government (primary responsibility), enterprises, the social partners, and the individual. To make lifelong learning for all a reality, countries will need to make major reforms of their vocational and education and training systems. School-to-work schemes for young people should integrate education with workplace learning. Training systems need to become more flexible and responsive to rapidly changing skill requirements. Reforms should also focus on how learning can be facilitated, not just on training for specific occupational categories.
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Other knowledge products
3rd ILO Skills Challenge Innovation Call
The Alliance 8.7 - a multi-stakeholder and inclusive global partnership committed to achieving SDG Target 8.7 - is launching a competition calling for all innovators who are passionate about bringing new ideas with social impact to develop innovative solutions that can support pathfinder countries to accelerate action for the achievement of SDG Target 8.7.
These solutions can include proposals to:
- create new skills training programmes or improve existing ones in order to upgrade skills in a vulnerable sector or occupation and facilitate better working conditions, or to generate alternatives in terms of job opportunities in areas affected by forced labour;
- improve the promotion and the accessibility of skills training programmes for vulnerable groups and put in place inclusive policies to decrease the chances of dropouts;
- integrate complementary courses into TVET curricula and programmes to raise awareness of the risks and effects of forced labour and strengthen trainees’ resilience to it;
- support skills trainers and training providers in becoming agents of change to prevent and combat forced labour within their communities;
- strengthen career and vocational guidance and counselling services and establish partnerships to facilitate the referral of victims of forced labour to appropriate skills training programs and other support services;
- set up mechanisms for the formal skills recognition of vulnerable persons and victims of forced labour who have acquired skills and competencies to provide them with recognized qualifications on the labour market;
- integrate new ways of skills development and delivery for young people at risk or victims of forced labour.
To learn more about the competition click here.
Labour force
Lifelong learning
Africa
