Subregional tripartite workshop on promoting decent work in the forest sector, with a focus on reforestation

The objective of the workshop was to identify main opportunities and challenges for promoting decent work in forestry in the countries of the East Africa sub-region (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar), with a specific focus on reforestation; and to exchange experiences with a view to contributing towards a sub-regional policy on promoting decent work in reforestation.

The workshop had 23 participants representing Governments (Ministries of Labour and Ministries responsible for forestry), employers and workers from the abovementioned countries, as well as observers. During the three days, in addition to presentations and discussions led by experts on the topic, participatory approaches were used to enable interactive tripartite dialogue, including through group exercises on the challenges and opportunities for the promotion of decent work for social justice in forestry as well as on national priorities to promote decent work in forestry and reforestation. This approach allowed participants to share their experiences and learn from each other, while identifying key policy priorities for advancing decent work in the sector.

Furthermore, in collaboration with the Tanzania Forest Service Agency (TFS), a half-day field visit was organized in the Arusha region to familiarize the participants with different steps of the wood product value chain. This included visits to a forestry training institute, a tree nursery, a young plantation forest, a plantation forest that was being harvested, a sawmill, and a fibre board factory.

The workshop closed with the discussion and agreement on building blocks for advancing decent and sustainable work in the forest sector in the sub-region.