The Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), represented by its Secretary-General, Arezki Mezhoud is participating in the 6th Ordinary Session of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment (STC-SDLE), taking place from 27th to 31st July 2026 in Windhoek, Namibia.
Held under the theme, “Inventing, Strengthening and Expanding Social Protection Systems in Africa: Critical Enablers for Inclusion, Resilience and Social Justice,” the meeting has brought together government officials, workers’ and employers’ organisations, development partners and other key stakeholders to advance social protection across Africa.
During the experts’ session, delegates discussed expanding social protection to workers in the informal economy, strengthening sustainable financing, improving social security and social assistance programmes, promoting employment policies, harnessing digital innovation, and enhancing institutional capacity. The meeting also highlighted the need to protect vulnerable groups, including women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, migrants, and workers affected by economic and climate-related shocks.
Throughout the experts’ meeting, OATUU actively contributed to the discussions, reaffirming the African trade union movement’s commitment to promoting comprehensive, rights-based social protection systems that guarantee dignity, reduce poverty and inequality and contribute to decent work and sustainable development. OATUU emphasised that social protection is not merely a social policy instrument but a fundamental human right and an essential pillar of inclusive economic growth, resilience, and social justice.
At the conclusion of the technical segment, the experts are expected to finalize a set of recommendations reflecting the outcomes of their deliberations. These recommendations will be submitted to the African Union Ministers responsible for Labour, Employment and Social Development, who will examine, discuss, and adopt them during the ministerial session.
