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Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

GOVERNMENT is working on a labour market information system (LMIS) to promote institutional coordination and data transfer in the labour market. 

This emerged during the ongoing National Employment Councils Symposium in Victoria Falls.

Speaking during the event, Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare director for labour administration Mr Clemence Vusani said the ministry has a responsibility to ensure that vulnerable members of the society are not left behind hence a department that deals with disability issues was established.

“The ministry therefore requires all departments to be inclusive in the disability issues in all activities. The expectation is for social partners to deliberate on conditions of service for people living with disabilities at the workplace by providing a conducive environment, disability safe and clean environment for all workers,” he said.

Mr Vusani said as such there should be a change in the content of collective bargaining submitted for regulation to show inclusivity in terms of disability issues. He said vulnerable people should be accommodated in the workplace.

“There is a need for the content of collective bargaining to address the change brought by the 4th industrial revolution in the world of work. Information and statistics are becoming important indicators,” he said.

“This is why the ministry is working on a programme with the International Labour Organisation to develop Labour Market Information Systems which is meant to promote institutions coordination and data transfer on the backdrop of a common methodological framework among labour market institutions and entities.”

Mr Vusani said a labour market survey carried out by ZimStats showed that almost all sectors of the economy were showing signs of recovery post Covid-19 hence the need for inclusivity.

He said it is through labour market institutions, Government delivers its aspirations and those of its stakeholders hence National Employment Councils have a critical role to play.

Government has therefore challenged NECs to observe good corporate governance principles and comply with regulations.

Mr Vusani said Government’s role is to ensure the environment is conducive and suitable for employees to operate from and have a balance between the business quest for profit and employees aspirations.

The symposium which started on Monday and ends today, is being held under the theme:

“Re-engineering NECs to anchor sustainable growth and delivering on Vision 2030.”

Mr Vusani urged Government departments and other institutions in the private sector to create a working environment that is conducive to people with disabilities in line with the National Disability Policy which mandates the inclusiveness of all citizens. 

Under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa, the Second Republic has made great strides towards the creation of an inclusive society that recognises the rights of people with disabilities, among them being the opening up of opportunities for them in empowerment programmes. 

Conscious of the need to take everyone on board, in June 2021, President Mnangagwa launched the National Disability Policy. 

This was followed by the setting up of the Technical National Coordination Committee in 2022 to provide guidance on the implementation of the policy.

The launching of the committee was also aimed at addressing the preconditions necessary for the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2013.

The National Disability Policy came at a time when Zimbabweans are collectively moving towards achieving the national vision of an empowered and prosperous upper-middle income society by 2030.

The policy is meant to ensure that disability programmes are mainstreamed in Government institutions and activities as required by the Constitution.