The Tripartite Consultative Labour Council has recommended that Zambia ratify International Labour Organization Convention No. 102 on Social Security (Minimum Standards), marking an important milestone in the country’s push to modernise its pension system and strengthen social protection. The recommendation reflects a growing commitment to expand social security coverage, particularly for workers in the informal economy who have traditionally remained outside formal protection frameworks.
During its first meeting of 2026 in Lusaka, the Council also reviewed Zambia’s broader pension reform package and observed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at operationalising the National Strategy on the Extension of Social Security Coverage to the Informal Economy. The agreement brings together the Ministry of Labour and Social Security with representative organisations of informal traders and marketeers, signalling a coordinated approach to extending pension and social security benefits to previously underserved groups.
Labour and Social Security Minister Brenda Tambatamba underscored the importance of aligning national reforms with international standards, describing the ratification of Convention No. 102 as a substantive commitment to dignity, security and resilience for all workers rather than a procedural exercise. She urged stakeholders to move decisively from policy discussion to implementation.
ILO Convention No. 102 is regarded as the cornerstone of international social security standards, setting minimum requirements across nine key areas, including medical care, old-age benefits, maternity protection and unemployment support. The ILO’s Country Office for Zambia and Malawi reaffirmed its readiness to support Zambia throughout the reform and ratification process, emphasising that alignment with the Convention represents a long-term investment in inclusive and sustainable social protection.
Employers and trade unions both welcomed the developments, highlighting the benefits of predictable and adequate pensions for workers and the wider economy. Employer representatives stressed that stable pension systems help build business confidence, while trade unions called for swift ratification and legislative reforms to ensure that all workers, including the large informal workforce, can access reliable social security protections.
