ILO Country Office for Zambia and Malawi

07/05/2026

Ireland applauds ILO’s role in strengthening social protection for vulnerable Zambians

ILO Country Office Director for Zambia and Malawi, Mr. Wellington Chibebe, today met with Irish Ambassador to Zambia, Mr. Aidan Fitzpatrick, at the Embassy in Lusaka to strengthen collaboration on advancing Zambia’s social protection agenda.

Ambassador Fitzpatrick expressed appreciation for the ongoing partnership, stating, “We commend the ILO for its strong technical support in advancing inclusive social protection and universal health coverage, particularly for vulnerable populations and beneficiaries of the Social Cash Transfer programme.”

Mr. Chibebe highlighted the importance of continued collaboration, noting, “Zambia’s progress toward ratifying ILO Convention No. 102 represents a critical step toward building inclusive and comprehensive social protection systems that leave no one behind.”

The meeting underscored a shared commitment to promoting decent work, strengthening social protection systems, and advancing social justice for all, particularly vulnerable and marginalized groups.

@topfansZambia Agency for Persons with DisabilitiesMinistry of Community Development and Social Services, ZambiaMinistry of Labour and Social Security ZambiaEmbassy of Ireland, Zambia

06/05/2026

01/05/2026

Labour Day 2026: Leaders unite to secure Zambia’s Future of Work

Zambia, Chinsali (ILO News) – the Zambian government, workers, employers, and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have reaffirmed their shared commitment to dialogue, cooperation, and social partnership as Zambia works to secure its future of work.

Speaking at the 2026 International Labour Day celebrations in Chinsali under the theme “Securing Zambia’s Future of Work: Protecting Jobs, Skills and Pensions for Decent Work for All,” leaders from the tripartite partners delivered a united message: decent work can only be achieved through collaboration, not confrontation.

The Guest of Honour, President Hakainde Hichilema, said industrial harmony must be built on engagement, mutual respect, and cooperation between Government, employers, and workers.

President Hichilema reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening labour protection, improving workplace safety, and aligning Zambia’s labour systems with international standards.

The President highlighted ongoing investment in digital and future ready skills, stressing that technology must empower workers rather than replace them.

President Hichilema called on employers to train, protect, and fairly pay workers, while urging workers to uphold discipline, integrity, and productivity.

“When workers win, Zambia wins,” he said, noting that worker welfare and national productivity go hand in hand.

Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) President Mr. Blake Mulala reminded the nation that no economy can function without workers.

Mr. Mulala welcomed government’s job creation efforts and renewed mining investments but raised concern over continued job insecurity, casualisation, and short term contracts.

“A worker cannot plan a family future on a three month contract,” he said, calling for the regularisation of long serving workers, stronger skills training programmes, pension reforms, and tax measures to ease the rising cost of living.

Mr. Mulala stressed that retirement should come with dignity and that pensions are deferred earnings, not a favour.

Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) President Mrs. Myra Sakala-Ngoma said there can be no decent work without productive and sustainable enterprises.

Mrs. Ngoma highlighted global changes affecting the world of work, including digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and climate transition, and called for stronger alignment between training institutions and labour market needs.

She noted that employers, working with government and training institutions through the International Labour Organization’s European Union-funded Skills Development for Increased Employability Programme (SDEP), had established Sector Skills Bodies in mining, agriculture, energy, and tourism to support industry driven skills development.

Mrs. Ngoma also supported pension reforms, saying decent work must protect workers during employment and after retirement.

Earlier, ILO Country Office Director for Zambia and Malawi Mr. Wellington Chibebe said decent work, social dialogue, and strong institutions are critical to inclusive and sustainable development.

Mr. Chibebe urged the government, employers, and workers to continue strengthening tripartite cooperation, protect workers’ rights, and invest in skills that match the changing world of work.

He emphasised the importance of extending social protection to all workers, including those in the informal economy, to ensure that economic transformation leaves no one behind.
@top fansZambia Agency for Persons with DisabilitiesMinistry of Tourism ZambiaMinistry of Labour and Social Security ZambiaZambia Chamber of MinesUnited Nations in ZambiaILO - Employment PoliciesEuropean Union in Zambia

29/04/2026

840,000 Lives Lost: The Hidden Toll of Psychosocial Risks at Work

Every year, over 840,000 workers die from health conditions linked to psychosocial risks at work. On World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026, the International Labour OrganizationInternational Labour Organization spotlights a defining challenge of our time: protecting workers’ mental and social well‑being.

In this video, specialists from the ILO’s Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) and Rory O’Neill from International Trade Union Confederation - (ITUC) examine how digitalization, remote work, and AI are reshaping work; often increasing stress, anxiety, and burnout.

The evidence is clear: strong trade unions, effective social dialogue and International Labour Standards implemented in law and practice, save lives.

Discover how stronger workers’ voices and international labour standards can protect the hearts and minds of workers worldwide and how ACTRAV supports trade union action to protect workers safety and heath.

▶️ Watch the video:
https://lnkd.in/e4tj37du

📘 Download the new ILO report on psychosocial risks at work (free):
https://lnkd.in/e9GAz7Fa...

27/04/2026

WORLD DAY FOR SAFETY & HEALTH AT WORK 2026 | KITWE

Today, Zambia joined the world in commemorating the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026 held in Kitwe under the powerful theme: “Good Psychosocial Working Environments: A Pathway to Thriving Workers and Strong Organizations.”

This year’s commemoration delivered one clear message from Government, Workers and the ILO: Workplace safety must protect both the body and the mind.

Hon. Brenda Mwika Tambatamba, MP, Minister of Labour and Social Security, reaffirmed Government’s resolve to strengthen occupational safety and health through progressive legislation, enforcement and reform.

Mrs. Tambatamba said new laws such as the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 2025 and ongoing reviews of labour laws will now explicitly address psychosocial risks and work‑related stress.

She reminded us that unsafe work is costly — not only in lives, but also in productivity and national development., saying a safe, healthy workforce is the foundation of a strong economy.

Mr. Wellington Chibebe, ILO Country Office Director for Zambia and Malawi, emphasized that psychosocial risks are real workplace hazards, just like physical, chemical or biological dangers.

Mr. Chibebe added that stress, fatigue, harassment, poor communication and insecurity undermine mental health and increase the risk of accidents — especially in high‑risk sectors such as mining. Mental wellbeing, he stressed, is not an optional add‑on; it is a fundamental right at work.

Speaking on behalf of Zambian workers, Dr. Evans Chungu of the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions reminded the nation that workers are not machines.

Dr. Chungu explained that behind every production target is a human life. He called this day a call to conscience, honouring workers who have died or suffered due to unsafe conditions — in mines, construction sites, transport routes and factories.

He added that stress, bullying, intimidation, insecurity and toxic management cultures are silently harming workers every day. When workers demand safe and humane workplaces, they are not asking for favours — they are demanding justice.

Speaking on behalf of employers, the Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) reaffirmed its commitment to safe, healthy and productive workplaces.

Delivering the employers’ message, Mr. Justine Chiwama, Copperbelt Regional Vice‑President of ZFE, emphasized that occupational safety and health is both a moral responsibility and a business imperative.

📢 A Shared Call to Action
Together, Government, Employers, Workers and the ILO committed to:
✅ Recognising psychosocial risks as real occupational hazards
✅ Strengthening labour inspections and enforcement
✅ Promoting social dialogue — nothing for workers without workers
✅ Building workplaces that are safe, inclusive, dignified and humane
✨ A healthy mind at work is not a luxury — it is a necessity.
✨ No worker should die earning a living.
✨ An injury to one is an injury to all.
Let us work together to build a Zambia where workplaces are safe in body, healthy in mind and fair in spirit.






@topfansTeveta ZambiaMinistry of Tourism ZambiaMinistry of Labour and Social Security ZambiaMinistry of Tourism ZambiaLusaka Vocational and Technical CollegeZambia Agency for Persons with DisabilitiesWorkers Compensation Fund Control Board ZambiaZambia Chamber of MinesZambia Congress Of Trade Unions - ZCTUZambia Law Development Commission

14/04/2026

🇿🇲 Zambia Strengthens Tourism Skills Through Education 🇿🇲

The Government of Zambia has reaffirmed its commitment to aligning education with tourism development to build skills, create jobs and drive sustainable growth.

Speaking at the Fourth Travel, Hospitality and Tourism Education Summit in Lusaka, Minister of Education Dr Douglas Syakalima, representing President Hakainde Hichilema, said the introduction of Travel and Tourism as a stand‑alone subject under the 2023 Education Curriculum Framework is a major milestone in preparing young Zambians for employment and entrepreneurship in the tourism sector.

Ministry of Tourism and Arts Mr Rodney Sikumba highlighted that tourism already supports over 159,000 jobs and remains a key driver under the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP), with further growth expected.

The Summit brought together strong voices from international partners:
✅ UN Tourism Africa Regional Director, Ms Elcia Grandcourt, emphasized that tourism is a key contributor to economic growth in Africa and stressed the importance of quality education in sustaining sector growth.
✅ The ILO reinforced the need for skills development to lead to decent and sustainable jobs.
✅ The European Union reaffirmed its support through the EU‑funded ILO Skills Development for Increased Employability Programme (SDEP), described as a game changer for improving employability of youths and women.

Together, Government and partners are working to ensure tourism growth translates into decent jobs, empowered communities and sustainable development.

27/03/2026

📢 Zambia Launches National Skills Tools & Apprenticeship Programme!

Today in Livingstone, Zambia unveiled a major milestone in its skills development journey — the launch of the National Critical Skills List, Sector Skills Strategies, Sector Skills Bodies, and the pilot National Apprenticeship Programme.

This initiative, supported by the European Union through the ILO’s Skills Development for Increased Employability Programme (SDEP), will place 1,000 apprentices across the mining, energy, tourism, and agriculture sectors. Apprentices will receive one year of structured, work‑based learning with real host enterprises.

Minister of Labour and Social Secuirty, Mrs. Brenda Tambatamba, called the reforms timely: “Skills are the currency of economic transformation, and today we are here to strengthen that currency.”

Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Technology and Science, emphasized the need for a future‑ready workforce: “We are preparing for an economy that demands not just qualifications, but capability.”

European Union (EU) Head of Cooperation, Mr. Claudio Bacigalupi, highlighted the importance of collaboration: “Skills development is a priority for the EU and central to the Global Gateway investment strategy.”

Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) President, Mrs. Myra Ngoma‑Sakala, welcomed the initiative on behalf of employers:
“This is a clear national commitment to strengthening Zambia’s human capital.”

Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Vice‑President, Mr. Geoffrey Mbewe, underscored the value of apprenticeships for young people and the economy: “There can never be meaningful discussions about skills without workers at the table.”

This national effort will help expand decent work opportunities, strengthen productivity, and support Zambia’s inclusive economic transformation.

Stronger skills. Stronger businesses. Stronger Zambia. 🇿🇲
Ministry of Labour and Social Security ZambiaUnited Nations in ZambiaEuropean Union in ZambiaILO - Employment PoliciesMinistry of Community Development and Social Services, Zambia@followers@topfansTeveta ZambiaMinistry of Agriculture, ZambiaMinistry of Commerce,Trade and IndustryILO Pretoria office

17/03/2026

Zambian government pledges swift action on key social protection and skills laws

Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha has reaffirmed to ILO Country Office Director for Zambia and Malawi, Mr. Wellington Chibebe, that his office will support efforts to ensure Zambia takes concrete steps toward ratifying ILO Convention 102 and passing the Work‑Based Learning Bill before Parliament dissolves in May.

Speaking during the meeting, Attorney General Kabesha underscored Government’s commitment, noting that the ratification of Convention 102 and the enactment of the Work‑Based Learning Bill are well‑intended measures aimed at extending social protection coverage and strengthening skills development for Zambians.

He stated that, “These reforms are necessary to ensure that more citizens benefit from a modern, inclusive social security system and that young people gain practical skills needed for today’s labour market.”

In response, ILO Director Wellington Chibebe commended the Attorney General’s leadership, highlighting the significance of the two reforms.

He noted that, “The ratification of Convention 102 and the passing of the Work‑Based Learning Bill will mark important milestones for Zambia. They will help expand social protection to more people and enhance pathways for youth employability. The ILO remains ready to continue supporting Government in this process.”

Both sides emphasized that the reforms represent an important step toward building a more resilient workforce, strengthening national social security systems, and ensuring that young people are better equipped for decent work opportunities.

🇿🇲🤝 Strengthening protection. Enhancing skills. Empowering Zambia’s youth.
Ministry of Labour and Social Security ZambiaMinistry of Community Development and Social Services, ZambiaUnited Nations in Zambia@topfans@followersZambia Agency for Persons with DisabilitiesEuropean Union in ZambiaMinistry of Information and Media - Zambia

13/03/2026

Strengthening partnerships for disability inclusion

Today, ILO Country Office Director for Zambia and Malawi, Mr. Wellington Chibebe, met with the Cuban Ambassador to Zambia, H.E. Mrs. Marileydis Duenas Morales, to explore new areas of collaboration aimed at improving the lives of Persons with Disabilities.

The Ambassador pledged Cuba’s support to help revamp the National Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre (NVRC) through technical assessments and exchange visits between Zambia and Cuba.

She also expressed interest in partnering to provide Miracle cataract operations, offering life‑changing support to those affected.

Mr. Chibebe expressed deep appreciation for the partnership, reaffirming that the ILO places disability inclusion and mainstreaming at the top of its agenda.

This collaboration marks a meaningful step toward stronger support systems and improved opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.

Together, we are building a more inclusive future.

Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, ZambiaZambia Agency for Persons with DisabilitiesMinistry of Labour and Social Security ZambiaUnited Nations in Zambia@followers@topfans