Africa faces a mounting social and economic crisis, shaped by global
shocks, weak job creation, and rising debt. By 2025, governments owe
over $2.1 trillion, and in many cases debt service consumes more than
40% of revenues, leaving little for schools, health systems, or jobcreating
infrastructure. Meanwhile, 8–11 million young Africans enter
the labour market each year, but only about 3 million formal jobs are
created. This mismatch, combined with chronic informality, skills
gaps, and climate vulnerability, risks undermining Africa’s
demographic dividend.
Yet opportunities exist. The African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA), green industrialisation, and investment in skills and social
protection could transform growth into decent work. Trade unions
emphasise that these strategies must be pro-worker, with enforceable
labour standards and inclusion of youth and women at the centre.
Unions therefore urge the G20 to: set ambitious job-creation targets;
invest in climate-friendly, labour-intensive sectors; strengthen labour
rights and universal social protection; embed labour standards in
trade agreements; expand youth employment through training and
fair wages; promote migration and mobility rights; cancel illegitimate
debt and curb illicit flows; ensure climate finance creates jobs; and
affirm African agency in global governance. Expansionary fiscal space
must be treated not as charity, but as investment in development
justice and inclusive prosperity.

Towards a New fFramework ofr Debt Sustainability and Development in Africa

Executive summary: As workplaces continue to evolve with technological advancements and economic shifts, understanding the multifaceted nature of safety, compliance, and the well-being of workers has become imperative. Unfortunately, many African countries continue to face significant challenges in occupational safety and health (OSH). These challenges are multifaceted, encompassing legal, infrastructural, economic, and cultural dimensions; and they vary considerably across different sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, construction, extractives, and manufacturing. Given these challenges, research on OSH in Africa is essential. Such research provides a comprehensive evidence base to inform policy and legislative changes. Without accurate data on the prevalence and causes of occupational injuries and diseases, it is challenging to develop effective interventions.

Background and Justification
Informal Cross-Border Trade (ICBT) is integral to intra-African trade, accounting for approximately 30-40% of trade flows in various African regions, significantly sustaining livelihoods, especially among women and youth (Bouet et al., 2018; UNCTAD, 2019). Women represent about 70% of informal traders across Africa, engaging predominantly in trade in agricultural products, textiles, and manufactured goods (Brenton & Soprano, 2018). Youth, constituting about 60% of the continent’s unemployed population, heavily depend on informal trading as an accessible economic entry point (AfDB, 2020). Despite their critical role, informal traders, particularly women and youth, are disproportionately affected by socio-economic barriers including limited access to finance, lack of secure trading spaces, cumbersome border procedures, harassment, and inadequate awareness of trade regulations (Koroma et al., 2017).The operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers a transformative opportunity to formally integrate informal trade sectors, addressing systemic inequalities and promoting inclusive economic development. Significantly, the recently introduced AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade aims to specifically address these inequalities by providing targeted support and creating conducive policy environments. By focusing on the specific challenges and opportunities faced by women and youth in ICBT, the AfCFTA, through its dedicated protocol, can significantly contribute to broader social and economic empowerment. This research is conducted within the context of a SASK AfCFTA project titled “African Trade Unions’ agenda and Effective Participation in Trade and Investment Processes: Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA),” which aims to empower trade unions to effectively participate in AfCFTA processes.

1 Introduction
Migration is a natural human phenomenon that has significantly contributed to human development, economic growth, and cultural exchange. It addresses labour shortages within markets and serves as a crucial economic survival strategy for many. Migration is an essential livelihood strategy for many African women seeking economic opportunities both within the continent and beyond. While migration offers financial independence and improved economic prospects, the labour conditions faced by African women migrants remain precarious. They often endure exploitation, discrimination, and abuse in their host countries, particularly in domestic work, informal trade, and low-skilled service sectors. This experience-gathering research attempts to examine the labour conditions of African women migrants, highlighting their challenges, economic contributions, gender-specific migration experiences, and the legal and policy landscape that governs their mobility. The study will discuss African trade unions’ perspectives on labour migration and African women’s experiences. The study will also attempt to contrast intra-African migration with extra-African migration, detailing the unique challenges posed by each. 20 African countries will be drawn for this comprehensive study. Additionally, the role of trade unions in mitigating the negative narrative and effects of migration and protecting women migrant workers’ rights shall be explored.

“The Union Lifted Me Up – Together, We Rise” is more than a campaign – it is a movement that brings women, young people, vulnerable workers in the informal economy and workers in the formal economy who lack union representation in both the public and private sectors into the trade union family. By harnessing digital platforms, powerful storytelling and real worker victories, the campaign will inspire a new generation of workers to unite, organise and fight for dignity and justice.