Financial Crime World

Challenges Hamper Labour Law Compliance Project

A recent evaluation of a International Labour Organization (ILO) project aimed at improving labour law compliance in Tanzania and Zanzibar has highlighted several challenges that hindered its success.

Challenges Faced by the Project

The project, which was implemented from 2013 to 2015, faced difficulties in working with the Government before, during, and after the election period. The lack of commitment from some key government officials also hindered progress.

  • Absence of a National Project Coordinator (NPC) and Country Team Assistant (CTA)
  • Limited commitment from government officials
  • Delays and obstacles in implementing planned activities

Evaluation Findings

Despite these challenges, the project was able to organize nine Programme Advisory Committee meetings. However, these meetings were not held regularly and were not efficient in terms of decision-making.

  • The project’s objective of improving labour law compliance remains relevant
  • Activities contributed to increasing the relevance of ILO’s mission vis-à-vis the international community and the United Nations Development Assistance Programme (UNDAP)

Project Impact

The overall impact of the project on labour law compliance in mainland Tanzania is assessed to be “medium,” while in Zanzibar it is “medium-high.”

  • The project made some attempts to bring gender concerns to discussions, but more could have been done to increase awareness and knowledge about gender issues related to labour law compliance and labour inspection themes

Recommendations for Future Projects

The evaluation has made several recommendations for future projects, including:

  • ILO should follow up on initiated reforms
  • Improve its skills in designing technical cooperation projects
  • Ensure that National Project Coordinators are recruited in projects where a CTA is employed
  • MoLE/MLEC and ILO should jointly adopt practical approaches to leadership and membership of Programme Advisory Committees

Conclusion

The evaluation concludes that while the project faced significant challenges, it has contributed to creating momentum for promoting labour law compliance in Tanzania and Zanzibar. With continued support from ILO and its partners, there is much more that can be accomplished to establish systems that promote and reinforce labour law compliance.