By Hon. Arinaitwe Katambuka Rwakajara, Workers MP.
Excerpts from my book titled “Value your Labour”.
The value of labour is not only how much someone is willing to pay you for a task but it’s also a measure of what you are willing to invest in yourself as a worker and what importance you attach to your work. Your knowledge, attitude and mindset, all contribute to your value.
Many young people are looking for a quick fix as they take the economy and life for granted. In an economy where there are always more graduates than jobs.
It is important to understand how to put yourself in the best position to get employment and it is also essential to develop the right attitude and mindset to work. This starts with knowing your rights and responsibilities as a worker.
This handbook was conceived as a basic guide for young Ugandans as they plan for, and seek for employment.
What is work?
Work can be defined as any activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result, most commonly as a means of earning income. An estimated 80% of Ugandans in the rural areas survive as subsistence farmers where they eat what they grow or sell small amounts of it to buy necessities such as sugar and salt.
However with severe climate change affecting faming, and the growing population of young people in Uganda, things have changed.
Uganda has one of the youngest population in the world with over 70% of her citizens being under the age of 30s. With the introduction of free primary and Secondary education, these young people are opting out of farming and seeking alternative ways to earn an income. Unfortunately, Uganda also has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world with over 80% of youth between 15and 25 years being jobless. Whether young Ugandans find employment or are even employable, is affected by a number of factors.
The ability to find or even create work can be affected by the state of the economy, one’s education level, social background, personal traits, even the choice and quality of mentorship. The fact is that while there are a lot of people who will fail miserably, others will find, and thrive.
Your goal as a young Ugandan worker should be to position yourself to thrive, and this begins with an understanding of your basic right to work.
The right to work
The right to work is not a law that forces the government or anyone else for that matter, to offer you employment regardless of the circumstances. This right to work is simply the idea that as a human being, you should be allowed or be able to engage in productive employment, and that no one should prevent you from doing so.
The right to work is enshrined in article 23.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and included in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights ■
About the Author:
Hon Arinaitwe Katambuka Rwakajara is a Member of Parliament representing workers and Director of the Labour College of East Africa.
