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Africa & Arab countries

Africa and Arab countries form one of the four regions in the PSI structure. Our 153 affiliated organisations in some 43 countries represent a membership of around 1.5 million people here. The regional secretariat is based in Lomé, Togo. Contact our regional offices.

Trade agreements put our right to water at risk

20 March 2019
Access to tap water in unequal between the poor and the rich in Jakarta.

Trade agreements like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are designed to make it easier for foreign multinational corporations to invest and do business. In doing so, they put the rights of citizens and workers second to profits. Read an Op-Ed by Abdul Somad, president of PSI affiliate Jakarta Water Workers’ Union (SP PDAM Jakarta).

Union voices at Asia RCEP trade talks highlight undermining of workers’ rights

19 March 2019
 RCEP CSO National Meeting: At a national meeting of CSOs in conjunction with the 25th round of negotiations for RCEP, Indonesian trade unions raised their concerns about the challenges that RCEP poses to the right to water, workers' rights, and democratic decision-making.

The 25th round of negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnerships (RCEP) concluded on February 28th in Bali, Indonesia. At a half-day consultation organized by trade negotiators, trade union representatives raised the challenges that RCEP poses to democratic decision-making, the right to water, and workers’ rights.

PCS supports series of strikes over Ealing tax office closure

19 March 2019

As members of UK PSI affiliate Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) working at HM Revenue and Customs walk out of the closure-threatened Ealing office at noon on 20 March, PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka will join them on the picket line.

Addressing the human rights implications of privatization for women and girls

14 March 2019
This interactive side event to #CSW63, jointly organised by PSI, FEMNET and APWLD and opened by UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Philip Alston, focused with a human rights-based perspective on the privatization of public services.

In Algeria, women say NO to a fifth term for President Bouteflika

12 March 2019

This year, International Women's Day coincided with historic events in Algeria, which manifested in a series of popular demonstrations across the country against the fifth term re-election of the president Abdelaziz Bouteflika and the suppression of freedom.

Swaziland union demand Equal Pay and Equal Opportunities for women

12 March 2019

In honour of International Women’s Day on 8 March, 50 members from various public sector trade unions and supporting civil society organisations marched through the streets of Manzini. PSI Global Women’s Organising Committee chair, Irene Khumalo, was in attendance.

There Can Be No Gender Equality Without Quality Public Services

11 March 2019

In an Op-ed published around the world, Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, writes about gender responsive quality public services and how women and girls are also the most impacted when countries offer poor basic facilities. Women´s access to social protection, gender-responsive quality public services and infrastructure is a priority of the international community and the main theme of UNCSW63, in which PSI is participating as part of the global union delegation.

Hands off our right to strike!

13 February 2015
Right to strike logo

Public Services International joins the ITUC, ITF, EI and other Global Labour Federations in calling for unions to act in defence of the right to strike, which is under attack by employer groups at the ILO.

Solidarity call for aid against impacts of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)

23 October 2014
The fight against Ebola in Guinea - Healthworkers in protective equipment

#protecthealthworkers - PSI is calling on all affiliates to donate to the PSI Aid Fund. The funds will be used for the immediate relief and assistance of our members and their families, especially in cases where health workers have died and their families have no access to social protection.

ILO Standard on Gender Based Violence

10 October 2014

The November 2014 session of the ILO Governing Body will again discuss a proposal to include a standard setting item on “violence against women and men in the world of work” on the agenda of a future International Labour Conference. This item was last discussed at the March 2014 Governing Body and whilst there was strong support from some governments, the proposal was not supported by the employers. The Worker’s Group has consistently supported the proposal as a first priority.

International Workers' Day - 1 May 2014

01 May 2014
Quality Public Services

The first of May symbolizes the struggle of the international labour movement. In 2014, International Workers’ Day, May Day, is as relevant as ever. Six years of austerity and neo-liberal policies washing over entire continents have left trade unions struggling for fundamental freedoms and rights at work all over again. Twenty-five years after the break-up of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Iron Curtain, the world is engulfed in another ideological and economic battle. Public service workers from Canada to Paraguay, Algeria to Botswana, South Korea to Thailand and Turkey to Spain, are fighting for their rights and against anti-worker policies, often risking their lives.

New global threat to public services

28 April 2014
No trade in public services image

On Monday 28th April, PSI affiliates, in collaboration with civil society organisations across the world, are mobilising for a day of action to protest the Trade In Services Agreement (TISA) negotiations. These are taking place regularly in secret in Geneva and the next round is on 28th April.
See PSI's Campaign release kit to download all documents.

28 April International Workers' Memorial Day

25 April 2014

No more excuses!


It is the duty of governments and enterprises to protect the health and safety of workers

Racism? Not for us!

22 March 2014

Speak out and take a stand against racism and xenophobia! On the eve of the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 21 March 2014, Rosa Pavanelli, General Secretary of the global union federation Public Services International affirms that “our commitment to fight racism and all forms of discrimination is guided by respect for human rights and basic union principles: social justice, equality, collective action and collective responsibility”.

Open letter from Rosa Pavanelli to the international trade union movement on the recent events involving the ILO Governing Body

28 March 2018

"The method and content of the actions of the Workers’ Group leadership is the latest episode revealing a structural lack of cooperation, solidarity and democracy among the global trade unions. We regret to say that with this action PSI has lost confidence and trust in the Workers’ Group leadership", says the PSI's General Secretary.

Municipal solid waste management services in Latin America

13 March 2018

This report is the first of a series of reports which are part of a research project on global waste services which PSI has commissioned to inform its work to improve working conditions in the waste sector. This report served as background research for the first meeting of the PSI Latin America, Central America and Mexican affiliates with membership in municipal waste services that tool place in Bogotá, Colombia on 28-29 July 2017.

Decent work for Community Health Workers in South Asia: A PSI Report

03 March 2018
A recent report by PSI shows the abysmal employment and working conditions of community-based health workers (CHW) in India, Nepal and Pakistan and calls for the recognition of caring for the health of women and children in the community as part of the formal work of the public health system. The report further highlights the importance of the struggle for equal wage for work of equal value in the struggle against neoliberal policies. This is part of PSI's online campaign for International Women's Day.

Privatisation of Migration & Refugee Services & Other Forms of State Disengagement

11 December 2017

This research, written by Jane Lethbridge, Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), examines the effects of the privatisation of services for refugees and migrants at national and international level.

Report: Trade Union Action on Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities

05 December 2017

Trade unions are working all over the world on disability issues. This research captures and summarises trade union action on disability from over 50 countries, including developed, emerging and developing economies. The research offers a new perspective to trade unions who have not worked on this issue, and points to opportunities for others to develop their work further.

Posters: World Cities Day 2017

25 October 2017

The posters for World Cities Day 2017 are available for download in English, French and Spanish.

Click directly on the poster you wish to download for a high resolution PDF for printing.

Global Conference on Children on the Move (Berlin)

19 May 2017

The Initiative on Child Rights in the Global Compacts, which PSI is part of, is organising the Global Conference on Children on the Move taking place in Berlin, Germany, on 12-13 June. During this conference, participants will assess progress and develop strategies around implementing commitments to children on the move.

 

Interactive webinar on “Ending gender-based violence in the world of work”

18 May 2017
Stop gender-based violence at work!

Join us for an interactive webinar on “Ending gender-based violence in the world of work” taking place on 29 May from 14h-15h30 Brussels (GMT+1) – check your time here. Interpretation will be available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian. Register to join by following the instructions.

The Human Right to Peace: Women, Labour and Public Services in Conflict Zones

14 March 2017

This parallel event jointly organised by PSI-ITUC-EI-WUNR-SSIHRL on “The Human Right to Peace: Women, Labour and Public Services in Conflict Zones”, will take place on 14 March, 8:30 am, on the 10th floor of the Church Center for the United Nations.

61st Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW61)

13 March 2017

The 61st session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW61) will take place at the UN Headquarters, in New York, from 13th to 24th March 2017.

Women work mobility development & economic justice

10 March 2017

On 16 March at the 61st UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York the Women in Migration Network (WIMN) convenes a dialogue integrating strategies and feminist movements. This parallel event will be held at 10:30 am at the Church Center for the United Nations. PSI is co-sponsoring this event. Moradeke Abiodun - Badru, representing PSI affiliate The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), will be speaking on behalf of PSI.

International Labour Conference 2017

07 March 2017

The 106th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 5 to 16 June 2017. It will be held at the UN Palais des Nations and ILO headquarters.

PSI attends seminar on the Human Right to Water in the Vatican City

23 February 2017

PSI delegation including Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, take part in the human right to water seminar on 23 and 24 February at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the Vatican City.

Photos: Expanding the debate on taxing global corporate profits

15 June 2015

ICRICT panel held during the Trento Festival of Economics in Italy, 2 June 2015 on tax reform with globally prominent leaders and economists, Joseph Stiglitz, José Antonio Ocampo, Eva Joly, Rosa Pavanelli and Jayati Ghosh.

Video: We must improve the governance of the international tax system

15 June 2015

José Antonio Ocampo, Former UN Undersecretary-General, Former Minister of Finance of Colombia and currently Professor, Colombia University, at the ICRICT panel in Trento on 2 June, explains to us the main points of the ICRICT report.

Video: We are losing massive resources to tax avoidance

12 June 2015

Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, speaks at the ICRICT panel in Trento, Italy on 2 June 2015.

Video: Multinationals are depriving developing countries of their fair share of taxes

12 June 2015

Eva Joly, French magistrate and politician for Europe Écologie–The Greens, speaks at the ICRICT panel in Trento, Italy on 2 June 2015.

Video: Multinationals are attacking democracy

12 June 2015

Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, speaks at the ICRICT panel on tax reform in Trento, Italy on 2 June 2015.

Video: ILO Director General’s intervention at EB-147

11 June 2015

Guy Ryder, ILO Director General, speaks at the PSI Executive Board meeting (EB-147) that took place in Geneva, Switzerland on 27-28 May 2015.

Video: The IMF, health systems and the Ebola crisis

09 June 2015

Alexander E. Kentikelenis, University of Cambridge (UK), speaks at the PSI Executive Board meeting (EB-147) that took place in Geneva, Switzerland on 27-28 May 2015.