African workers have called on governments across Africa to urgently fix basic social and economic infrastructure as millions continue to face insecurity, unemployment, inequality and failing public services.
The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), which represents more than 18 million workers, made the call at the Human Rights Day 2025, marking the 77th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Joel Odigie, the labour body said while the UDHR affirms that human dignity is anchored on both civil liberties and economic and social rights, those foundations are being steadily eroded across Africa by poor governance, austerity-driven policies and deepening inequality.
“Human rights cannot be realised where people cannot access decent work, social protection, quality public services and basic security,” ITUC-Africa said, warning that rights increasingly exist only on paper for millions of Africans.
The organisation expressed concern over the normalisation of insecurity on the continent, citing persistent conflicts, political violence, terrorism and militarisation that have displaced communities, destroyed livelihoods and narrowed democratic space.
It also warned that inequality has reached destabilising levels, with extreme wealth coexisting alongside widespread poverty, noting that the crisis is deeply gendered as women remain trapped in low-paid, informal and precarious work, burdened by unpaid care responsibilities and unsafe workplaces.
ITUC-Africa said Africa’s young population is paying the highest price, as millions of educated youths remain unemployed or underemployed, while informal work increasingly replaces secure jobs.
While describing the situation as a breakdown of the social contract, Odigie noted: “Education no longer guarantees work, and work no longer guarantees dignity or security.”
The continental labour body linked rising drug abuse, social despair and vulnerability to violent extremism among young people to shrinking economic opportunities and weak social protection systems.
According to ITUC-Africa, austerity policies, debt-driven fiscal constraints and chronic underinvestment have hollowed out public services, while migrant workers and those in precarious employment bear the brunt of the crisis.
At the core of the problem, it said, is a failure of governance and accountability, pointing to illicit financial flows that continue to drain billions of dollars from African economies annually, alongside regressive tax systems that protect extreme wealthy groups and individuals while starving governments of needed resources.
The body called on African governments to abandon austerity measures, curb illicit financial flows and introduce progressive taxation, including taxing high net-worth individuals, to mobilise domestic resources for development.
It urged governments to channel such resources into universal social protection, quality public services and decent jobs, especially for young people, while scaling up initiatives such as the African Union–ILO Youth Employment and Empowerment programme.
ITUC-Africa also warned that democracy itself is under threat where citizens experience permanent insecurity, exclusion and indignity, stressing that democratic systems must deliver tangible social and economic benefits to remain credible.
The organisation pledged that trade unions would continue to press their demands through collective bargaining, mobilisation and social dialogue, insisting that access to everyday essentials is not charity but a fundamental human right.
