12 October 2021 JUBA— State Ministers, Director Generals, and staff under the Ministry of Labour from all ten states will complete a four-day workshop to review and validate the 2021-2023 National Labour Policy Framework and Strategic Plan. Under the national strategy, the minimum wage, vocational training and skills development and occupational safety and health policies will be validated in this workshop to set standardized measures in protecting worker’s rights and effective reforms in the public sector.

UNDP’s Governance and Economic Management Support Project assigned a Special Skills Expert for the Ministry of Labour to carry out consultations to refine the strategic plans and vision of the ministry’s national policies. The capacity-building and reform is guided by the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGONU) signed in 2018. The workshop will spearhead in closing systematic gaps in governance and inclusive labour protection policies and law.

This is our collective work and we need your input. This is for the future of planning and where we are going and how do we get there. That is what this document is about. We need to put policies that will protect our workers and even citizens through our national OHS guidelines. Said Hon Gen. James Hoth Mai, The Minister of Labour.

Strengthening and improving functional capacity for labour management and coordinating national policies is expected to be validated in completion of the workshop. The labour policies enshrine principles and goals in Chapters IV and IV of the R-ARCCS. With the support of UNDP, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Government of Norway, reforms in the public sector are prioritizing the integration of mainstreaming gendered policies, inclusion, and radical reform for efficient and effective public service delivery. By the end of the workshop ministers from each state will triangulate government, employers, and workers to engage social dialogue with actors implementing the National 2021-2023 Policy and Strategic Plan.

UNDP will continue to support the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity in accelerating the implementation and fulfilling other key provisions in Chapter I and IV of the revitalized peace agreements through the GEMs project, reforms in Public Finance Management, and the inclusion of 35% women in leadership positions in the Governance of South Sudan. Said Resident Representative, UNDP South Sudan Mr. Samuel Doe.

The attendance of H.E. Hussein Abdelbagi, The Vice President for Service Cluster officiated the opening of the workshop underscoring the implementation of the strategy will take a whole of government approach.

The mission and core values will forever guide the institutions. Therefore, I expect the Minister of Labour, his team and partners as a collective effort to work out the best strategic plan as possible and identify policy gaps. It is important that the policies and guidelines do not contradict the constitution of South Sudan. Further, the strategic plan should be in harmony with the existing laws. Said Vice President H.E. Hussein Abdelbagi.

###

For more information contact: For more information contact: media.ss@undp.org

About UNDP South Sudan Governance and Economic Management Support Project: The “Governance and Economic Management Support (GEMS) Project” aims to contribute towards setting on a pathway to sustainable peace, development and improve well-being for citizens through strengthening capacity of key national institutions for effective and accountable implementation of the R-ARCSS and bolstering key economic governance and accountability functions with attention to Chapter IV of the R-ARCSS for effective reforms in economic and financial public resource management.

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.