ZAMBIA CLARIFIES ZNS TRAINING IS VOLUNTARY AMID ILO CONCERNS OVER FORCED LABOUR CONVENTION

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Posted by admin on July 24, 2025 at 5:05 AM

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Minister of Labour and Social Security Brenda Mwika Tambatamba has firmly clarified that Zambia National Service (ZNS) training is voluntary, not mandatory, in response to concerns raised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) regarding potential breaches of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29). Speaking during a courtesy call by ILO Labour Standards Specialist Amanda Mejía-Cañadas, the Minister stated: “Compulsory ZNS training ended decades ago. The last intake was in the 1980s. Since then, training has been entirely voluntary for both men and women.” ZNS training is application-based, aimed at equipping youth with life and vocational skills The ZNS Act is under review, with amendments pending Cabinet approval, Zambia is developing a national and international obligations register to strengthen compliance with ILO conventions and A multi-ministry committee is finalizing reports on pending instruments, to be submitted before year-end Ms. Mejía-Cañadas commended Zambia’s tripartite engagement and praised its delegation’s performance at the 113th ILO Conference, calling it one of the best in recent years. The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to labour rights, social protection, and lifelong learning, aligning ZNS training with ILO principles and Zambia’s broader development goals.