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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.

31 October: UN World Cities Day – “Stop precarious work in local public services!”

30 October 2018

On UN World Cities Day 2018, PSI calls the United Nations, governments and mayors to halt the widespread use of precarious work in local and regional government services that hurts local communities, undermines the quality and accessibility of local public services, and stands in the way of achieving sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities (SDG11).

UN poverty expert warns against tsunami of unchecked privatisation

26 October 2018
psi/shutterstock.com

New report on "Extreme poverty and Human rights" finds that "widespread privatisation of public goods in many societies is systematically eliminating human rights protections and further marginalising those living in poverty".

Binding UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights

19 October 2018
Room 20 of UN building

The intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations (IGWG) held its fourth meeting on 15-19 October in Geneva, in order to discuss the Zero Draft for an internationally legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises.

Over 8,000 women in Glasgow to strike over gender-based pay discrimination in public services

18 October 2018
GMB members (left to right) Gillian Docherty, Eileen Dougall, Shona Thomson and Lee-Ann Dougall (Jane Barlow/PA)

Thousands of school staff, caterers, cleaners, nursery and care workers - members of PSI affiliates UNISON and GMB - will begin a 48-hour strike action on 23 October. The decision comes after a 12-year tribunal battle, and a repeated refusal by the city council to state its position after the highest court in Scotland ruled last year that the city’s pay system was discriminatory.

Murder of Hauwa Liman: grave cause for concern in Nigeria

18 October 2018
Hauwa Mohammed Liman

The execution of 24-year old Hauwa Mohammed Liman by a faction of the Boko Haram sect in north-eastern Nigeria calls for increasing concern over the safety and security of health workers delivering emergency services. PSI is shocked by this cruel act and calls on the Federal Government of Nigeria to take necessary action to bring an end to this reign of terror.

European network of public service workers in migrant and refugee services is created

16 October 2018

On September 26th and 27th, the Italian Public Sector Union, FP CGIL, together with the Spanish union Fsc Ccoo and the European Public Services Union, held a meeting in Palermo to tackle the issue of migration.

Stop the corporate abuse of women’s rights

16 October 2018

PSI calls on affiliates to sign the #Feminists4BindingTreaty statement asking UN Member States to stop corporate abuse. We need a #BindingTreaty that holds TNCs accountable for human rights abuses and that centres women’s rights.

Tax Justice : Nigeria Report

23 September 2016

This detailed research paper by Jane Lethbridge from Public Services International Research Institute outlines the current issues surrounding tax evasion, avoidance and illicit financial flows in Nigeria and outlines some potential solutions.

Final report of the expert group to the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth

21 September 2016

The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, established the High-Level Commission on
Health Employment and Economic Growth (ComHEEG) in March 2016. Its task is to propose intersectoral
actions to guide and stimulate the creation of health and social sector jobs to advance inclusive
economic growth.
In support of the Commission’s work, an Expert Group was convened to critically review the
available evidence.

Safe Workers Save Lives: PSI Health Priorities and Trade Union Response to the Ebola Virus Disease

21 September 2016
Photo: UNMEER/Martine Perret. Creative Commons

At the start of the Ebola crisis, PSI was contacted by its affiliates from the three most affected countries with the alarming news that health workers were dying on the workfloor. This update reports on the work that has taken place on the ground since the implementation of PSI's Ebola response strategy.

PSI General Secretary statement at the 2nd ComHEEG meeting

20 September 2016

This second meeting of the UN High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth (ComHEEG) aims at finalising and formally endorsing the recommendations and the report of the Commission, as well as discussing the way forward towards implementation of these recommendations.

Working for Health and Growth - Investing in the health workforce

20 September 2016
This new report launched by the UN High-Level Commission on Health and Employment Growth (ComHEEG) proposes ambitious solutions to ensure that the world has the right number of jobs for health workers with the right skills and in the right places to deliver universal health coverage.

Gender and Tax Justice Resources

07 September 2016

These presentations and concept note were produced for PSI's global forum "No Gender Justice Without Tax Justice" held in London, 30 June-1 July 2016.

Ghana: Tax Justice and Public Sector Restructuring

06 September 2016

This background document was prepared for a Conference on Tax Justice held in Ghana as part of a two-year project (funded by FNV) with affiliate trade unions in Ghana, with the aim of promoting quality public services through a fair tax system under conditions of decent work.

AFREC 2015: Regional Executive Committee for Africa and Arab countries

19 June 2015

The Regional Executive Committee for Africa and Arab countries (AFREC) will be held in Gaborone, Botswana on 22 September 2015. This meeting will be held prior to the 12th Regional Conference for Africa & Arab countries (AFRECON).

Global Day of Action on Trade and Investment Treaties

14 April 2015
Photo: Creative Commons - MehrDemokratie - Charlie Rutz

A coalition of civil society groups and unions around the world has organised a global day of action on 18 April to demonstrate against the negotiation of harmful trade agreements. PSI endorses this day of action and encourages affiliates to participate.

May Day 2015

14 April 2015

Public service trade unions and the Global Alliance for Tax Justice invite members to join in marching this May Day under the banner “Working people pay taxes – corporations must pay their share!”

ILO Tripartite meeting on the Right to Strike

20 February 2015

The Meeting will bring together participants from 32 Governments of ILO member States, 16 Employer participants and 16 Worker participants nominated by the Employers’ group and the Workers’ group of the Governing Body respectively, as well as observers from the three groups.

High level meetings ITUC/Global Unions and World Bank/IMF

26 January 2015

The meetings will address topics of concern to trade unions and will include serious discussions on the policies of the World Bank and IMF in a variety of areas, including:

CSW59: Commission on the Status of Women

10 December 2014

The 59th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) will take place at the UN Headquarters, in New York, from 9th to 20th March 2015.

International Summit Nursing and Ebola Virus

24 October 2014
International Summit Nursing and Ebola Virus

PSI will take part in the International Summit on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), organised by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) that represents 13 million nurses worldwide.

Audio: Radio interviews - 2013 Guatemala mission

04 September 2013

Guatemala is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for unionists. Public Services International (PSI) sent a delegation to investigate and ask the Guatemalan government to stop the attacks on unionists in the country.

Workers must fight tax dodging in the financial sector

02 July 2013

PSI Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer, Daniel Bertossa, spoke at a TUAC conference in June 2013, about tax dodging in the financial sector.

Video: Interview with Luis Lara - SNTSG, Guatemala

26 June 2013

During the International Labour Conference in Geneva, June 2013, Public Services International interviews Luis Lara, President of Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de Salud de Guatemala (SNTSG), a PSI affiliate.

Audio: Money lost through corruption could fund decent public services.

26 June 2013

Every year about $2.6 trillion is stolen by corruption. This money could be used to fund decent public services and help developing countries.

Videos: PSI at the International Labour Conference

21 June 2013

View a selection of interviews of PSI delegates at the ILC, the Route of Shame video, the Anti-Corruption Forum video on YouTube:

Photos: The Route of Shame - South America

21 June 2013

In parallel to the Geneva Route of Shame eventhref>, PSI affiliates organized similar actions in Lima, Caracas, Buenos Aires, Quito and Bogota. International solidarity makes us stronger and unites PSI!