Uganda to Launch New ILO Program on Decent Work

International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Director Caroline Mugalla has announced Uganda will on May, 1 launch a new program on decent work.

Speaking during the second day of the third annual National Labour Convention and Expo at Mestil Hotel in Kampala, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Director Caroline Mugalla said the launch of the program shows renewed commitment to expanding decent work opportunities for all Ugandans.

“This program aims to address interconnected challenges by promoting a human-centered approach to the future of work but also to advance labour standards in Uganda,” Mugalla said.

The Judiciary Permanent Secretary, Pius Bigirimana said Uganda is committed to ensuring decent work for everyone.

“All employers must invest in people, protect their rights, and empower their voices. Let’s not measure success by quantity alone, but by how we produce—justly, safely and inclusively,” Bigirimana said.

He also called for the need to extend social security coverage to workers in the informal sector, who constitute a significant portion of Uganda’s labor force and are often vulnerable.

“We must broaden coverage beyond the formal sector to include informal and self-employed workers,” he said.

The State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations Esther Anyakun emphasized the need for decent work.

She said decent work applies to all workers, including women, men, youth, people with disabilities, nationals, and refugees ,noting that labour policies must reflect this as well as the realities of all who contribute to the economy through inclusive social security and refugee inclusion.

This was announced during the second day of the third annual National Labour Convention and Expo at Mestil Hotel in Kampala.