Thematic Areas

staff1 Beyond the Enclave
Beyond the Enclave argues for a new approach to development in Zimbabwe based on pro-poor and socially inclusive strategies that will contribute to the well-being of all citizens and wise stewardship over all of its resource. The book offers suggestions on policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in multiple sectors all designed to promote inclusive growth and humane development. It is therefore important for national budgets and other national development plans to embrace the strategies espoused in the book in order to archive pro-poor and socially inclusive development. Important to note is that the 2013 National Budget had the sub-title 
"Beyond the Enclave" Another Zimbabwe is in the making
   
staff1 Decent Work & Collective Bargaining
The concept of decent work was institutionalised in the ILO's Decent Work Agenda (DWA) which it adopted in 1999 and has gained widespread currency globally since then. The DWA is made up of four pillars namely: employment creation, worker's rights, social protection and social dialogue. The four pillars are inseparable, inter-related and mutually supportive. Failure to achieve one pillar hinders achievement of the other three pillars. It is therefore important for trade unions to understand the ILO DWA so that they can effectively engage national stakeholders in order to improve the working conditions and lives of workers in Zimbabwe

More importantly, the trade unions should integrate the four pillars of the DWA in their collective bargaining negotiations and agreements either at sectorial level (through the National Employment Councils) or at company level. Since the four pillars of the DWA are enshrined in the various international instruments ranging from the ILO to the United Nations, workers have adequate basis for demanding them to be effected at national sectorial and company level.
   
staff1 Economic Literacy / Socio-Economic Rights
Socio-economic rights are a vital aspect of the human rights and are closely related to national development. The international Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, 1996) enumerates socio-economic rights as including, but not limited to the right to education, health, housing, food and water, work, social security, and adequate standard of living, a healthy environment, and the right to development. This treaty also notes that all socio-economic rights must be guaranteed without discrimination.

In this regard, LEDRIZ runs economic literacy training on the eight socio-economic rights, namely: the right to food, education, health, transport, decent work, decent living, housing and basic utilities to ensure that its citizens fully enjoy these as rights and not privileges. The inclusion of the rights in the new constitution provides a basis of demanding them.
   
staff1 Women and Gender
Developmental policies have different inpacts on men and women. According to the 2011/12 PICES Report, women constitute the greater percentage of the population, 52.4% and yet most of them remain marginalized from the mainstream econoy. The roots of low levels of integration of women and the persistent gender inequalities including in the labour market can be traced to cultural norms and practices as well as their triple jeopardy in that they are responsible for household work reporoduction and community work, including care work, while men are outward bound and are mainly in the productive sphere.
In addition, the lack of adequate provision of socia-economic services and decent work will therefore have differential ipact on women and men. Thus, efforts should be made to ensure that developmental policies are gender sensitive.
   
staff1 Climate Change, Green Economy and Green Jobs Project
Climate change has taken centre stage in the global political economy and sustainable development discourse. In this discourse, the concepts of ‘green economy’, ‘green growth’ and ‘low carbon ‐ development’ and ‘green jobs’ have been used interchangeably and are at the centre of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Given that these concepts are a recent development, it is important to undertake research on such and determine how far these concepts have been domesticated and applied, and to assess their potential in Zimbabwe.

In light of this, labour is identified as a key stakeholder in greening the economy and creation of green and decent jobs.  Therefore, the project aims to capacitate the ZCTU and its affiliates to play a more proactive role in climate change, green economy and green jobs debates. The project also aims at raising awareness and consciousness on the green economy and green jobs not only for the labour movement but other national stakeholders such as government, employers and the populace. This will be achieved through cutting-edge research, education and training; and advocacy and engagement so that all key stakeholders play a more proactive role. The initial focus of the project will be on the energy sector with emphasis on the potential for green energy and green jobs in the energy sector. Further expansion into other economic sectors will be undertaken as the project develops.

Our Work

Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • An audit of the Collective Bargaining Agreements in Zimbabwe
  • The Economics of Employment Creation
  • The Politics of Domestic Resource Mobilization for Social Development in Africa: The case of Zimbabwe (ongoing); and
  • The State of the State in Southern Africa. A need for Development Intervention (The Case of Zimbabwe)
 
  • Advocacy and Engagement on the "Beyond the Enclave" book
  • Training of Trainers (TOT) on the beyond the Enclave book with CSOs, academia and faith-based organisations.
  • Development of a databank on Decent work Indications for Zimbabwe
  • Training Workshops for ZCTU and its affiliates on economic literacy, socioeconomic rights and the Decent Work Agenda
Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • The Working Conditions of Farm Workers: Selected case studies of farms in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare and;
  • Collective bargaining Agreements in the Mutli-currency Era
 
  • Publication and launche of the popular version of the "beyond the Enclave" Book.
  • Advocacy and Engagement with Members of Parliament on the "beyond the Enclave" book
  • Training workshops for ZCTU and its affiliates on economic literacy, socio-economic rights and the decent work agenda
Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • Labour Administration in Zimbabwe
  • Trade Union Services and Benefits in Africa: The Case of Zimbabwe
  • Pension Funds and Investment Initiatives in Zimbabwe (an update)
 
  • Review of the Zimbabwe Decent Work programme
  • Publication and a national launch of the book title: Beyond the Enclave: Towards a Pro-Poor and Inclusive Development Strategy fo Zimbabwe
  • Development of popular version material on Restructuring of State Enterprises and parastatals in Zimbabwe
  • Development of a Worker Digest on the national economic blueprints
  • Training workshops for ZCTU and its affiliates on economic literacy, socio-economic rights and the Decentwork Agenda
Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • The informal Economy and Impact of Operation Murambastvina
  • Social Protection in AFrica. The case of Zimbabwe
  • Pension Funds and Investment Initiatives in Zimbabwe
 
  • A study tour on South Africa Pension Funds
  • Advocacy and Agreement with the Ministry of State Enterprises and parastatals on the National Frameork Agreement of Restructuring of State Enterprises and Parastatls
  • Training workshops for ZCTU and its affiliates on economic literacy and socio-economic rights
Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • Employment Intensive Labour Market Strategies feeding into the drafting of the National Employment Policy Framework (NEPF) for Zimbabwe
  • Women in Trade Unions in Africa: The Case of Zimbabwe
  • Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) Under Hyperinflationary Conditions
  • Privatization and Restructuring of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and Local Authorities in Zimbabwe (an update)
 
  • A Tripartite Study visit to South Africa on the Restructuring of State Owned Enterprises and Local Authorities
  • Printing of the socio-economic booklets and economic literacy manuals
  • Publication of the Fundamental social and economic: Rights Framework (The International Perspective)
  • Publication of the booklet "The Decent Work Agenda in Zimbabwe, The Heart of Soci-economic progress"
Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • Baseline studies on the four pillars of decent work employment creation, social dialogue, social protection and worker's rights
  • The Case Study of the Manufacturing Sector in Zimbabwe
  • Update of the Beyond ESAP document, LEDRIZ updated Chapters 1, 2 and 4
 
  • Tripartite study visit to Zambia, focusing on restructuring of public enterprises in Zambia
  • A study visit to South Africa, focused on Pension Funds, Management and Trade Union INvestment initiatives
  • Development of the National Frame work agreement (NFA) on Restructuring of State Owned Enterprises and Local Authorities in Zimbabwe
Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • The Role of Trade Unions in Rural Youth Employment Initiatives in Africa: The Case of Zimbabwe
  • The Labour Market, Sustainable Growth and Transformation in Zimbabwe
  • Restructuring of Public Enterprises in Zimbabwe (an update)
 
  • Publication of the socio-economic booklet
  • Two stakeholder conferences on Public Enterprise Restructuring. The theme of the conferences was "Restructuring through Social Dialogue
Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • Restructuring of Public Enterprises in Zimbabwe
  • The Effects of Casualisation on the Workforce in Zimbabwe
 
  • Development of an information pack on EPAs, COMESA, SADC Trade Protocol and the WTO Processes
Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • Social Movements in Zimbabwe
  • South African Multinationals in Africa in the Hospitality and Tourism Sector: The Case of Holiday Inn
  • The Future of the African Textile and Clothing Industries
  • The Metal Goods Industry in Zimbabwe
  • The Impact of Operation Murambatsyina on the Woring People of Zimbabwe
 
  • Economic literacy workshops for the ZCTU and its affiliates
  • Evaluation of 25 years of independence, Zimbabwe's Silver Jubilee
Research, Studies & Surveys   Publications and Other Major Activies
  • The Impact of Globalisation and Trade Agreements on the Zimbabwean Economy
  • Export Processing Zones (EPZ) in Zimbabwe
  • Gender and Labour Market Liberalisation in Zimbabwe
  • Working Conditons at Ashanti Gold Fields (Fredda Rebecca Mine) under the ALRN Social Observation Project
  • Retrenchments: The case of mine closures in Zimbabwe
 
  • Development of manuals on Lome / Cotonou, Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, SADZ, Trade Protocol and the COMESA Free Trade Area
  • An Economic Literacy Manual for Trade Unions and Readers