News from the WMCW

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Confinement due to Covid-19 began two years ago and in Uganda, after almost two years workers have experienced unspeakable stories of suffering and despair. Many workers have lost their jobs due to the long period of confinement and unemployment levels have risen.

Uganda was one of the countries with the longest lockdown period, from 1 April 2020 to January 2022, when the economy was fully reactivated. Informal entrepreneurs had no income during this period and had to dip into their own savings, rely on government food aid or seek help from family and friends to survive. This means that during the period of closure, most workers found themselves in a subsistence economy.

The conditions of confinement have affected almost all sectors of the labour market. The number of people employed in Uganda has declined from 9 million in 2016/17 to 8.3 million in 2019/20. This led to many wage earners losing their jobs. Other workers were forced to close their businesses.

Due to the unemployment situation in the country, even before the pandemic, Uganda used to export labour to the Middle East, especially to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This was despite reports of poor working conditions. The number of Ugandan migrants has decreased from 25,363 in 2019 to 9,026 in 2020, due to the effects of the pandemic. This explains the extent of the impact of confinement on workers in Uganda and globally.

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AS WORKERS WE REMAIN FIRM IN OUR MISSION: “FIGHTING, FIGHTING, FIGHTING AND RESISTING”

We thought we had gone out of this health crisis and we could demonstrate in the Labour Day. But here we are, still under the yoke of this pandemic which is gnawing our Common House, fighting to keep us safe.

1st May is an indelible inscription. We are not only fighting against a destructive virus globally, but also against a dividing current that decreases the primacy of work. This social and personal value, which raises the dignity of each individual, must be always held high in the hearts and minds of states as a humanity standard.

Will we be able to watch out the decline of the value inherited from the ancients?

Will we be able to watch out for the dignity of the poor who are constantly deprived of their dignity, of the marginalised who queue in solidarity shops, “resto du coeur”, or during the distribution of food parcels and solidarity cheques? Will we be able to resist before the economic exploitation with workers?

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The violence against women and girls occurs all over the world. While some countries condemn it strongly, a great part of world population still considers it as “normal”. However, this violence, not only undermines women’s integrity, reduces their access to the essential services and resources.

We are grateful for many men and women who continue, courageously, to advocate for the elimination of violence against women and girls. All supporting initiative is commendable and its effects will be felt, through Christ, in all the areas of Church life.

WMCW on the occasion of 8th March (International Day of Women) declares that we are ready to face to any attempt to excuse, cover up or justify the violence. We declare that this violence is an offence against God, humanity and earth.

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For the 100th anniversary of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Card. Peter. K.A. Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, brought to the Assembly a Message of Pope Francis.

The Message was read on Wednesday June 18, during the 108th International Labour Conference, dedicated to "Building a future with decent work", which took place from 10 to 21 June 2019.