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Question 4: As African countries seek to harness their demographic dividend and aim to create more decent jobs, based on your country's experience, how can social protection systems be scaled up with clear interventions to promote relevant skills development and concrete labour market policies to increase both economic participation and resilience?

Guidance on answering the question:

Proposed focus:

1. Mention the legislation, policies and programs exist at national level that are being implemented to address areas such as job security, equal opportunities for males and females in the workplace, protection of human rights at work for both formal and informal workers, skills development and career growth.
2. Are the programs also being implemented at the district and community levels and which national partners (Civil society organizations, youth and women organizations, informal sector, trade unions and workers organizations) including international partners are supporting the Government in implementing these social protection programs.
   What is the percentage of national coverage for the social protection programs that are actively being implemented?
3. Discuss what are the challenges in providing wide coverage for social protection programs and what are some recommendations to scale up investments in the labour market.

Moderator,
Your Excellencies, Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers in our host country Namibia and the broader Africa at large,
Commissioners, Leadership of Labour and Business

Ambassadors
Director-General of the International Labour Organization,

Leadership of the various African Union Agencies
Distinguished delegates,

Allow me to also stand on the protocols as outlined by the Co-Program Directors

On the 18^th July this year, the world commemorated Mandela Day under the theme "It is still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity".

The struggle against poverty cannot be separated from the struggle for employment, social justice and equal opportunity.

Nelson Mandela reminded us that freedom has little meaning unless it improves the daily lives of ordinary people. It is therefore our collective responsibility to ensure that our democratic institutions respond effectively to the aspirations of our citizens.

To many of us, we remember Nelson Mandela as the Father of Africa's liberation struggle against oppression and a global leader to whom many of us will forever be indebted.

This year's Mandela Day's theme resonates strongly with the subject matter before us because poverty and inequality remain among the greatest threats to human dignity, social cohesion and democratic governance across our continent.

South Africa's experience is that social protection must be deliberately linked to skills development, employment services and active labour market policies. Social protection builds resilience, but when connected to training and employment pathways, it also expands economic participation and supports decent work.

Our approach is grounded in a strong constitutional and legislative framework that protects fair labour practices, equality, decent wages, occupational health and safety, social security and skills development.

Key laws include the:

• Labour Relations Act,
• Basic Conditions of Employment Act,
• Employment Equity Act,
• Employment Services Act,
• National Minimum Wage Act,
• Skills Development Act,
• Unemployment Insurance Act and related
• Occupational Health and Compensation legislation.

In practice, this means combining income support with labour market activation. More than 26 million South Africans receive social assistance each month, while the Unemployment Insurance Fund provides temporary income support and funds Labour Activation Programmes aimed at training, placement and support for youth, women and persons with disabilities.

South Africa also uses public employment and social employment programmes as bridges into the labour market. The Expanded Public Works Programme, Social Employment Fund and Presidential Employment Stimulus have created work and livelihood opportunities while delivering services in communities. These programmes show that social protection can be an investment in productive capabilities, not only consumption support.

Skills development is central to this model. Through the National Skills Fund and the Sector Education and Training Authorities, South Africa invests in apprenticeships, learnerships, internships, artisan development and workplace-based learning. Increasingly, these investments are directed towards future-oriented sectors such as digital technologies, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and the green economy.

Implementation takes place nationally, provincially, at district level and in communities through labour centres, municipalities, TVET colleges, universities, SETAs, employers and community-based organisations. Social partnership is also essential. Government works with organised labour, business, community constituencies, youth and women's organisations, organisations of persons with disabilities, informal economy associations and international partners including the ILO and the African Union.

Challenges

Allow me to highlight five important challenges.

The first is persistently high unemployment, particularly among young people.

The second is the continued expansion of the informal economy, which remains largely excluded from formal social protection systems.

The third is the rapid pace of technological change, which requires continuous investment in new skills and lifelong learning.

The fourth is the growing challenge of irregular migration and labour exploitation.

The fifth is the fiscal constraints faced by many governments across the continent.

Climate change represents an additional challenge, as it continues to reshape labour markets and alter patterns of migration and economic activity.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AFRICA

Allow me to conclude with five recommendations drawn from South Africa's experience.

First, Africa should treat social protection as a productive investment rather than simply a social expenditure.

Second, social protection systems must be integrated with active labour market policies, and in South Africa we do this under the Social Employment Fund.

Third, Member States should significantly increase investment in skills for the future, such as AI, digitalisation, and green industrialisation.

Fourth, we must extend social protection to workers in the informal economy and other non-standard forms of employment.

Fifth, stronger regional cooperation is essential and South Africa's National Labour Migration Policy and Employment Services Amendment Bill reflect our commitment to safe, orderly and rights-based labour migration.

In doing so, we will strengthen social cohesion, deepen democracy and ensure that Africa's young population becomes one of our greatest strengths rather than one of our greatest challenges.

I thank you.

In conclusion, Africa's young population can become our greatest economic advantage if we invest today in comprehensive social protection, relevant skills, active labour market policies and decent work. South Africa remains committed to working with Member States, the African Union, the ILO and social partners to build inclusive and resilient labour markets.

I thank you.

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