The Labour Test: Are National Action Plans on BHR Delivering for Workers in Africa?

Background 

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Africa urgently needs a robust Business and Human Rights (BHRs) framework due to its unique convergence of systemic vulnerabilities and untapped potential. The continent continues to grapple with widespread informality, weak labor protections, and governance gaps that leave workers, communities, and the environment highly exposed to abuses—particularly in sectors like mining, agriculture, and infrastructure, where multinational and local actors often operate with limited oversight.

 

Simultaneously, Africa is undergoing rapid economic transformation, demographic expansion, and deeper integration into global supply chains, positioning it as both a key investment destination and a potential epicenter for exploitation. A well-anchored BHRs framework would allow African governments to reclaim regulatory space, define binding rules for responsible business conduct, and ensure economic growth is not achieved at the cost of human dignity. Crucially, it would affirm Africa’s agency in shaping fairer terms of trade and investment, aligning development with social justice and sustainability.

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Labor and workers’ rights must sit at the heart of Africa’s National Action Plans (NAPs) on BHRs, given that workers remain the most exposed to business-related human rights violations. With the majority of employment informal, social protections weak, and labor standards inconsistently enforced, prioritizing labor rights in NAPs is essential to tackling unsafe working conditions, wage theft, child labor, and the suppression of trade unions. As Africa becomes more integrated into global supply chains, embedding labor protections into national BHR strategies is vital for shielding workers from exploitative business models. Strengthening labor rights through NAPs not only empowers unions and promotes decent work—it also reorients economic development toward fairness and accountability. Recognizing this, the African Union has begun promoting BHRs across the continent, drafting a continental policy framework aimed at harmonizing efforts and localizing the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs). Although the framework awaits formal adoption by AU organs, four countries—Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and Liberia—have already adopted NAPs, while others, including Ghana, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, are in advanced stages of development. These processes have successfully convened diverse stakeholders and opened political space for dialogue on BHRs—an important milestone. However, early implementation has been met with skepticism over the real-world impact, particularly regarding labor rights in business contexts. Despite limited data, emerging trends suggest that NAPs have yet to drive substantive change for workers. In response, the FES African Union Cooperation Office has commissioned a comparative study examining the four existing NAPs, with additional focus on Ghana and Mozambique, to critically assess their effectiveness-  especially through a labor rights lens—and identify ways to strengthen future implementation.

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Key Objectives

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This session will explore how labour and workers’ rights are addressed within the National Action Plans (NAPs) on Business and Human Rights in Africa, with a particular focus on the role of trade unions and the extent of gender integration throughout the NAP processes.

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Drawing on experiences from six African countries, the session will critically examine how trade unions have participated in the design, implementation, and follow-up of NAPs, and the extent to which these processes have reflected the realities and demands of workers on the ground. Two trade unionist—will share key reflections and trends from across the region. Their contributions will be complemented by insights from a representative of a Global Union Federation (GUF) , who will provide a critical labor rights and union perspective. A key element of the discussion will be a gender-sensitive analysis led by a gender expert, highlighting how gender considerations shape the effectiveness of NAPs in promoting equitable labor rights. The session aims to generate practical recommendations on how future NAPs in Africa can become more inclusive, participatory, and responsive to both labor and gender justice concerns

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