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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.

Quality Revolution in Health Care; Fundamental for Achieving SDGs

27 September 2018

The report of the Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems in the SDG era (HQSS) shows quite clearly that the universal health coverage strategy is not sufficient to improve health in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Provision of good-quality health care is essential for the attainment of sustained improvement in health outcomes and the full realisation of the human right to health.

Demonstrating commitment and leadership on equal pay

26 September 2018

PSI is participating in an Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) Pledging Event. The main objective of the event is to build a consortium of committed partners to accelerate the pace in closing the gender pay gap and achieving equal pay, in line with target 8.5 of the SDGs.

Unions in Fiji ‘still being targeted’

26 September 2018

The Fiji Public Service Association (FPSA) general secretary Rajeshwar Singh claims that the public sector unions are “still being targeted” to weaken the collective voice of their members. Speaking at its 75th anniversary in Suva on 22 September, Mr. Singh also claimed that they are “suppressed” on a daily basis.

Liberian nurses removed from the payroll system

25 September 2018

Many trained and qualified nurses in Liberia, most of whom are members of PSI affiliate NAHWUL, are on a continuous struggle to get their names on the nation’s payroll system, while others, whose names have been wrongly erased from the system, race against time to resolve the “ghost” status tagged to their names in the system.

Tunisian fisherman, arrested for saving migrants lives, freed in Italy

24 September 2018

PSI commends the judicial decision in Palermo, Italy, to free the six Tunisian Fishermen imprisoned since the beginning of September. The fishermen, described as ‘suspected smugglers’ by the EU Frontex agency, were detained after saving the lives of 14 migrants stranded on the mediterranean.

Not A Target: Public Services International (PSI) condemns the killing of Saifura, a health worker in Borno, Nigeria

19 September 2018

PSI condemns the killing by Boko Haram, in Borno state, Nigeria, of 25-year old Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khorsa, a registered midwife who worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

10 years on from the crisis, ICRICT calls for urgent regulatory action

14 September 2018

A decade on from the Global Financial Crisis and just blocks from Wall Street, the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation met in New York last week to highlight the urgent need for financial reform.

Comments on Expert Group background note for the first meeting of the UN High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth

24 March 2016

PSI gave evidence to the United Nations High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth in Lyon, France on 23 March 2016. PSI argued that public spending on public health was both a government obligation to ensure universal access to health care and an investment in economic growth.

Logos for the World Water Day (WWD) 2016

19 March 2016

Logos for the World Water Day 2016 are available for download in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese in both JPG and PDF format.

Arab women & the right to peace

18 March 2016
Arab women

On 18 March, during the 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, PSI & WILF/MADRE/AEDIDH/ITUC will organise a trade union parallel event on: Arab Women and the human rights to peace. It will provide an opportunity for trade union and social movement leaders from Arab countries to give their views on peace as a human right.

Development Cooperation

17 March 2016

PSI provided input to an assessment from the water justice network of development cooperation support for the implementation of human rights. Development partners, including the World Bank, have violated human rights, including with their conditionalities for private sector participation. We call for the suspension of grant and loan programs which implicitly or explicitly promote PPP schemes. The implementation of Sustainable Development Goal #6 on water and sanitation presents opportunities to improve the practices of development partners. We point to the examples of public-public partnerships (PUPs), which are gaining in popularity but have not received adequate support from development partners – in part, because PUPs are not-for-profit. We also call for more rigorous measures to ensure that all rights holders can participate in decision-making.

Report: Protecting the Public Interest from Predatory Privatization and Outsourcing

17 March 2016

A Public Services International Leadership Meeting held on 2-3 December 2015 in Washington, D.C. USA and hosted by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The objective of this PSI leadership meeting was to explore ways to work together to strengthen the fight against the global push for privatization, linking national campaigns to regional and global dynamics.

PSI Report: Gender equality and water

17 March 2016

PSI submitted case studies from India, Kenya, Argentina and Ecuador on the gender implications of the human right to water and sanitation for the UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation. The studies touch on gender implications of legislation, public finance, participatory decision-making, and monitoring.

Posters: Hope has no borders

17 March 2016

Public services welcome migrants and refugees say PSI"s posters for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21st March.

Geneva: Protest rally against Trade In Services Agreement

22 April 2014

Monday 28 April, members of the Swiss trade unions, global unions and civil society will lead an international day of action to protest against the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA). In Geneva, the protest will take place before the Permanent Mission of Australia (Chemin des Fins 2, 1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland) , where negotiations are taking place in secret.

World Health Day

07 April 2014

World health worker week

01 April 2014

World Health Worker Week (7–11 April) aims to support, appreciate and raise awareness of the important role of health workers everywhere. The Second Annual World Health Worker Week is an opportunity to mobilize communities, partners and policy makers in support of health workers. It is a time to celebrate the amazing work that they do and raise awareness of the challenges that they face every day.

World Water Day

22 March 2014

Putting public in public services: Research, action and equity in the Global South

18 March 2014
Municiapl Serivces Project logo

The international conference Putting public in public services: Research, action and equity in the Global South, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, on 13-16 April 2014, will bring together progressive academics and NGOs who work closely with PSI and our affiliates on a range of public services.

Photos: Youth employment workshop (WSF)

15 April 2013
World Social Forum - Tunisia, March 2013
Source: Flickr

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.

Photos: International FTT Strategy meeting - Tunis WSF 2013

15 April 2013
Planning session in advance of World Social Forum - Tunisia March 2013
Source: Flickr

PSI affiliate members from Tunisia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and the United States participated in the global financial transactions tax campaign strategy meeting hosted by PSI in Tunis on 26 March

Photos: World Social Forum, Tunis 2013

15 April 2013
World Social Forum - Tunisia March 2013
Source: Flickr

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.

Audio: Unions win major victory at UN conference about violence against women and girls

19 March 2013

RadioLabour produced a special report on the victory at the UN Status of Women Conference - a victory in no small part due to work by activists from the ITUC, UNI and PSI.

Putting Water Back into Public Hands - Remunicipalisation

18 March 2013

An inspiring video animation about how cities are reversing water privatisation to regain public control.

Video: End violence against women now!

28 February 2013

Message to PSI affiliates from Rosa Pavanelli, General Secretary of Public Services International, on International Women's Day, 8th March 2013