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Africa & Arab countries

Africa and Arab countries form one of the four regions in the PSI structure. Our 153 affiliated organisations in some 43 countries represent a membership of around 1.5 million people here. The regional secretariat is based in Lomé, Togo. Contact our regional offices.

Women’s Rights Organizations call on Governments to Reject the WTO Declaration on “Women’s Economic Empowerment”

12 December 2017

According to the signatories of the letter, including PSI, the declaration “fails to address the adverse impact of WTO rules and instead appears to be designed to mask the failures of the WTO and its role in deepening inequality and exploitation”.

Young workers academy in Nairobi

12 December 2017

Young workers from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, and Sweden met in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, to discuss issues surrounding Quality Public Services, Tax Justice and Gender Equality.

Civil society organizations protest against WTO Ministerial Conference

11 December 2017

PSI was one of the organizations that drove the action. According to Jocelio Drummond, Regional Secretary of PSI Inter-America, "the main struggle is to prevent the WTO from expanding its area of action on new issues, for example, electronic commerce".

Privatisation of Migration & Refugee Services & Other Forms of State Disengagement

11 December 2017

This research, written by Jane Lethbridge, Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), examines the effects of the privatisation of services for refugees and migrants at national and international level.

Miguel Ángel Mejía: “Since 2009, workers' rights have been decimated in Honduras”

08 December 2017

In an interview for PSI, the president of the Union of Medical, Hospital and Similar Workers (Sitramedhys) talks about the situation in the Central American country after suspicions of electoral fraud. “Our perspectives for the future, once the will of the government is imposed, are not very encouraging”.

International Anti-corruption Day, 9 December - Who is protecting the workers who fight corruption?

08 December 2017

In view of increasingly more visible cases of corruption, dishonesty and fraud, the public is demanding an improvement in public governance through efficient and transparent public policies. Corruption is now perceived as a social illness that harms the common good that democratic states have the duty to defend.

PSI Denounces Decision by United States Trump Administration to Pull Out of the UN Global Compact on Migration

07 December 2017

As delegates from United Nations Member States, international organisations, civil society organisations and various stakeholders gather in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for the Stocktaking Meeting to prepare for the negotiations for the UN Global Compact for Migration in 2018, the Trump Administration announces that the United States is pulling out of the process.

Sign & share the Bogota Declaration on Tax Justice for Women's Rights!

07 December 2017

The Bogota Declaration on Tax Justice for Women’s Rights is being launched around the world on 7 December 2017 through online platforms and at tax justice events in Argentina and Chile. This launch coincides with the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, leading into UN Human Rights Day on 10 December. Your organisation is invited to join the Global Alliance for Tax Justice, Public Services International, Tax Justice Network, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and many other leading groups in supporting this declaration.

Argentinian government has revoked union and civil society participation in WTO meeting

05 December 2017

In an unprecedented action, the Argentinian government has revoked the accreditation for union and civil society representatives to the 11th Ministerial Meeting of the WTO in Buenos Aires, advising the WTO that the experts will not be allowed into the country. PSI does not accept such a blatant violation of well-established international norms and calls on the President of Argentina and the WTO Director-General to take immediate action.

PSI in solidarity with global civil society on the situation of enslaved African migrants in Libya

05 December 2017
Picture: @UNmigration/Twitter

PSI joins in solidarity with global civil society in calling for urgent action to address the human rights situation of enslaved African migrants in Libya, during the Stocktaking Meeting towards the UN Global Compact for Migration, 4-6 December 2017 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Right to Health: central to kicking out HIV/AIDS

01 December 2017

The 2017 World AIDS Day is being marked today with the theme Right to Health, under the slogan Everybody counts. This is aimed at advocacy for universal access to safe, effective, quality healthcare. Public Services International welcomes this. PSI affiliates across the world will be organising or joining manifestations, conferences, workshops and other programmes to sensitize the public.

International Workshop: Strengthening Public Policies for the 2030 Agenda

29 November 2017

PSI is attending an international workshop in Beirut, organised by the Reflection group on the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

At the Vatican, Pavanelli speaks about the contributions of the Laudato si' from the perspective of the workers' movement

24 November 2017

On 24 November, PSI's General Secretary took part in an international meeting of trade union organisations on the theme "Labor and the workers' movement at the center of a humane, integral, inclusive and sustainable development – why is the world of work still the key to development in the global world?

PSI promoting social dialogue through the Global Deal

23 November 2017
Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven

PSI has recently joined the Global Deal as part of its commitment to promoting social dialogue as a means for tackling inequality, ensuring workers’ rights and creating the foundations for peace and stability.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

23 November 2017

“Stopping violence against women is everyone’s responsibility and men must play their part” stated Dave Prentis, PSI President, as his initial words at the PSI Congress 2017’s Pledge to end Violence against Women. Lead by Greg McLean from Australia, public services male trade unionists pledged in Geneva to be key actors in this struggle, in of one of the most emblematic acts of political engagement of public services unions.

Brochure: "Your Future in Public Hands"

07 June 2013

A compilation of PSI statements and background information for use by PSI delegates at the International Labour Conference ILC

PSI policy on International Trade Agreements

31 May 2013

PSI’s Executive Board (EB–145) endorsed in May 2013 a proposal to increase PSI’s work on trade agreements. This work will focus on the most prominent threats to our affiliates, including ensuring that trade agreements are not used to open public services to private commercial activities but are used to contribute to the application of international labour standards to protect workers’ rights.

Tax Justice: Talking points

27 May 2013

We pay. Why don't they?

Join with PSI in the growing global campaign for tax justice. Here are some talking points for discussion among your members. 

 

PSI Comments on ILO Report “Collective bargaining in the public service: a way forward”

23 May 2013

Public Services International (PSI) welcomes the report and the excellent work done by the Committee of Experts, considering that this is the first time that collective bargaining in the public service is being addressed in a General Survey. Trade union rights remain the top priority for public sector unions around the world. This is certainly a timely report that exposes many of the challenges that trade unions face in the public sector.

ILO Report: Sustainable development, decent work and green jobs

23 May 2013

This report addresses the challenges of achieving environmental sustainability and turning the vision of decent work for all into a reality.

Highlighting the role of unions in reducing out-migration and winning workers’ rights

19 May 2013
Geneva tram - migration poster

The year 2012 was the culmination of the fourth phase of the PSI Migration and Women Health and Social Care Workers Project implemented in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa in 2010-2012. The project’s objective was to strengthen the capacity of public service trade unions in addressing the causes, impact and challenges of migration by integrating responses to these migration challenges in their daily trade union work.

ILO General Survey: Collective bargaining in the public service – A way forward

17 May 2013

The main focus of the ILO General Survey is on collective bargaining rights in the public administration. It also covers a number of other subjects, including consultation, the civil and political rights of public sector employees, the facilities to be granted to trade union representatives, protection against acts of discrimination and interference, and dispute settlement mechanisms. However, Convention No. 154 applies not only to the public administration, but also to the whole of the public and private sectors. This explains that while the Survey focuses on the public administration for the subjects mentioned, it also refers more generally, and in less detail, to the situation in respect of law and practice in the private sector.

General Report of the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations

16 May 2013

The Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations is an independent body composed of legal experts charged with examining the application of ILO Conventions and Recommendations by ILO member States. The annual report of the Committee of Experts covers numerous matters related to the application of ILO standards.

ILO Manual on Collective Bargaining and Dispute Resolution in the Public Service

16 May 2013

This excellent ILO Manual seeks to provide examples on how different countries have developed successful mechanisms to prevent and resolve disputes in labour relations in the public service. It showcases effective ways to develop collective bargaining systems and provides approaches and formulas for dispute resolution.

Posters: Your Future in Public Hands

14 May 2013

On 1 May 2013, PSI launched the campaign “Your Future in Public Hands.” Public services are under attack and action is needed to ensure that in the future quality public services will be available to young and old, generating social justice and equality for all.

Badges: Your Future in Public Hands

25 April 2013
PSI Your Future in Public Hands badges

Download PSI badge files for the "Your Future in Public Hands" campaign and create your own button badges.

Posters - 1 May 2013

24 April 2013
PSI May Day poster for 2013

Download PSI's posters for 1st May 2013 (PDF) in two colours and four languages. These are high-resolution images (3 MB)

Strategic Activities Report: PSI at the World Social Forum, Tunis 2013

15 April 2013

Public Services International had the strongest global union presence at the World Social Forum 26-30 March 2013 in Tunis, Tunisia. PSI hosted and co-sponsored numerous events on trade union rights, youth, water, women’s issues, tax justice, energy and climate change.

Water, electricity and the political context in Arab countries 2011

11 April 2013

This report examines the electricity and water sectors in North African and Middle Eastern countries, including the record of privatisations, and the potential implications of the democracy movements, and the response of international institutions, as of September 2011.

Tax Justice for Social Justice

10 April 2013

The prevailing international tax rules and practices are more and more undermining the ability of governments in the Global South and the North to compel corporations and wealthy individuals to pay their fair share of taxes. Multinationals and wealthy individuals continue to dodge taxes with impunity, while tax competition has led to reduced tax burdens on corporations and financial wealth. As a result, ordinary people carry a disproportionately heavy burden of taxes and social services lack adequate resources to meet the needs of citizens.