FULL AGENDA! Zambia Summit for Democracy Official Side Event

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Thursday, March 30, 2023
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., CAT / 2 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., EDT

Amplifying the Voices of Workers to Safeguard Democracy in Africa

An official side event of the Summit for Democracy
co-hosted by the Multilateral Partnership for Organizing, Worker Empowerment and Rights (M-POWER) and the Zambian Congress of Trade Unions

In-person and virtual event
Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel
Lusaka, Zambia

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FULL AGENDA BELOW

"Amplifying the Voices of Workers to Safeguard Democracy in Africa" is an official side event of the second Summit for Democracy, a global democracy initiative co-hosted by Costa Rica, the Netherlands, South Korea, the United States and Zambia from March 28-30, 2023. The second Summit will showcase progress made by Summit partners on commitments during the Year of Action. M-POWER is one of the largest commitments made by Summit partners.

AGENDA (Central Africa Time)
7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Arrival of Delegates and Registration

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Opening Session
Welcome Remarks: Joy Beene, Secretary General, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions
Summit Background/Objectives: Christopher Johnson, Africa Regional Program Director, Solidarity Center

Matthew Parks, Parliamentary Coordinator, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU*)
Akiko Gono, President, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC*), (by video)
Joel Odigie, Deputy General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation-Africa
Zambia Ministry of Labor and Social Security (by video)
Thea Lee, Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor (by video)

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Solidarity Messages

Matthew Parks, Parliamentary Coordinator, COSATU
Ruth Sakala, General Secretary, Domestic Workers Union of Zambia (International Domestic Workers Federation, IDWF*)
Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (by video)
Mavis Koogotsitse, Executive Secretary, Southern Africa Trade Union Coordinating Councils (SATUCC) (by video)

9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Declining Labor and Human Rights Standards on the African Continent

Japhet Moyo, Secretary General, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
Henry Sinkala, General Secretary, Basic Education Teachers Union, Zambia
Bheki Mamba, President, Trade Union Congress of Swaziland
Kassahun Follo, President, Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions
Moderator: Martha Molema, President, Botswana Federation of Trade Unions, and Deputy President, ITUC-Africa

11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. BREAK

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The Role of Workers in Democracy and Governance in Africa: Closing Democratic Space and Challenges of Transparent Electoral Processes

Richard Mulonga, Chief Executive Officer, Bloggers Association of Zambia
Dan Mihadi, General Secretary, Transport Workers Union - Kenya
Ezra Sekelani Zulu, Youth Chairperson, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions
Moderator: Joel Odigie, Deputy General Secretary, ITUC-Africa

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. LUNCH

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. How Workers Can Strengthen Democracy Through Elimination of State Capture and Corruption in Africa

Joel Odigie, Deputy General Secretary, ITUC-Africa
Guy Olivier Ouédraogo, General Secretary, Confédération Syndicale Burkinabè
Matthew Parks, Parliamentary Coordinator, COSATU
Moderator: Penelope Kamungoma, Senior Program Officer, Solidarity Center

2:30 p.m. – 3: 30 p.m. Youth & Women Workers Participation in Democratic Governance

Toindepi Dhure, General Secretary, Zimbabwe Domestic and Allied Workers Union
Alex Nkosi, Coordinator, ITUC-Africa
Naomi Kimbala Lunat, Director-Gender, Youth and Child Development, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions
Moderator: Nyasha Muchichwa, Economist/Researcher, Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe

3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Closing Statements

Joy Beene, Secretary General, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions
Christopher Johnson, Africa Regional Program Director, Solidarity Center
Joel Odigie, Deputy General Secretary, ITUC-Africa
Lisa Peterson, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Bureau, U.S. State Department

4:00 p.m. Conference Concludes

* M-POWER Steering Committee Member

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in French.

M-POWER is a historic global initiative focused on ensuring working families thrive in the global economy and elevating the role of trade unions and organized workers as essential to advancing democracy. It includes steering committee members from governments, philanthropy and labor organizations, including the AFL-CIO, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) and International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC); the governments of Argentina, Canada, Spain and the United States; and Funders Organized for Rights in the Global Economy (FORGE).