Africa and Arab countries

PSI, in partnership with and through the support of its affiliate ASSR, and Union to Union, Sweden, went to visit one of the largest camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The activity was part of a new project launched this year on Building Trade Union Capacity to Defend the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Quality Public Services in Nigeria.

As part of the events to commemorate Public Service Day, trade unions and civil society organizations (CSOs) held a meeting on 22-23 June in Abuja on fighting illicit financial flows (IFFs) and asset theft in Nigeria. The importance of involving trade unions and civil society organisations in this fight was stressed as well as the need to increase awareness and education of the public on tax issues.

Inspired by Martin Luther King, an American movement, "The Poor People's Campaign", made up of trade unionists, poor workers, members of religious organizations and liberal activists will be in Washington on June 23 to protest for dignified jobs and decent wages. They did not choose this date at random: it is international Public Service Day.

Latest issue of #PrivatizationWatch (03/2018) - The Global newsletter on privatization of public services around the world.

At a two-day meeting in Dar es Salaam (June 7-8), participants agreed on a set of demands to the Tanzanian government, including reviewing all tax incentives and tax treaties, and ensuring better transparency of corporate affairs, including through public registers on beneficial ownership of companies and trusts. The meeting also called on the government to provide more resources to the Tanzanian Revenue Authority in order for them to collect more taxes to better fund public infrastructure and public services.

Nurse Martha Morris, 35, worked in a public hospital in her hometown when the Ebola virus raged through Liberia. She gave up a lot to fight for better working conditions for health workers. It's a cause she thinks is worth continuing to fight for.

PSI carried out a mission in Lebanon on 29-31 May 2018 under the PSI Project on “Trade Unions, Human Rights and Quality Public Services for Refugees and Migrants in the MENA,” covering Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria for the two-year period (2018-2019). Implemented in partnership with U2U and the PSI Swedish Affiliates (Vårdförbundet, Vision, Fackförbundet ST, Akademikerförbundet SSR and Kommunal) the project aims to develop the capacity of public sector trade unions to address migration and refugee issues from the rights-based perspective.