Zambia

Region: Southern Africa Regional Economic Communities (REC): COMESA · SADC

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• COMESA
• SADC

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Zambia operates a common law legal system influenced by English law.

Zambia has been a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 1964 and participates in Decent Work Country Programme initiatives.

Workers’ rights are governed through:

• The Constitution
• Labour legislation
• Social protection frameworks

Zambia has progressively expanded protections through labour and social security reforms, including measures aimed at extending coverage to informal workers.

Zambia adopts a combined legislative and policy approach:

• Statutory regulation (e.g., domestic work, mining)
• Social protection expansion initiatives
• Informal sector inclusion programmes

Key initiatives include:

• NAPSA – Extension of Coverage to the Informal Sector (ECIS)
  • Expands pension coverage to informal workers

• SPIREWORK Project (Social Protection for Informal and Rural Economy Workers)
  • Supports social protection and livelihood resilience

• Employment Code (Domestic Workers Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment) Order, 2023 (SI No. 49 of 2023)

• Workers’ Compensation (Domestic Workers) Regulations, 2021 (SI No. 13 of 2021)

• Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment (Domestic Workers) (Amendment) Order, 2018 (SI No. 69 of 2018)

• NAPSA – Extension of Coverage to the Informal Sector (ECIS)

These instruments provide:

• Wage protections
• Conditions of employment
• Compensation coverage
• Access to social security mechanisms

• NAPSA – Extension of Coverage to the Informal Sector (ECIS)

Provides a mechanism for extending pension and social protection coverage to informal traders.

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• SPIREWORK Project (Social Protection for Informal and Rural Economy Workers)

Supports:

• Rural livelihoods
• Social protection coverage
• Informal agricultural workers

Mines and Minerals Development Act, 2015 (No. 11 of 2015)

• Defines artisanal mining as operations undertaken by citizens under a mining licence
• Requires licensing for:
  • Artisanal mining
  • Small-scale mining
  • Large-scale mining

Mines and Minerals Development (General) Regulations, 2016

• Provide further regulatory detail

This framework formalises artisanal mining through licensing requirements.

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• IIAG – Zambia: https://iiag.online/locations/zm.html
• Employment Code (Domestic Workers Order), 2023
• Workers’ Compensation (Domestic Workers) Regulations, 2021
• Minimum Wages (Domestic Workers) Amendment Order, 2018
• NAPSA – ECIS Programme
• SPIREWORK Project
• Mines and Minerals Development Act, 2015
• Mines and Minerals Development Regulations, 2016
• ILO – Zambia Country Profile