“Despite high levels of economic growth Zambia is at risk of a jobs crisis. Economic growth averaged 7.9% between 2007 and 2013, but formal sector jobs have only increased by 3.4%. Responding to this challenge is perhaps the country’s biggest priority. The implications of not responding could be dramatic, with continued and rising poverty and lower economic growth. However, often overlooked and just as important are those Zambians who hold low quality jobs. Too many of the jobs that do exist are insufficiently productive, unrewarding and unstable; many do not even allow families to escape severe poverty. These poor quality jobs are often in the large informal sector, where workers regularly have to contend with risks like unfair summary dismissal, pay being delayed or receiving no pay at all.”
