A young African filmmaker wearing an orange cap operates a professional shoulder-mounted video rig with a DSLR camera.

African cultural and creative sector sets roadmap for decent jobs and inclusive growth

Government representatives, sectoral unions and employers’ organizations from the Culture and Creative Economy from across Africa joined forces in Johannesburg to develop national roadmaps aimed at promoting decent work and unlocking the full potential of the continent’s vibrant cultural and creative economy.

3 April 2025

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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (ILO News) – A pioneer regional workshop concluded in Johannesburg this week with the launch of country-specific roadmaps for the Africa’s Cultural and Creative Economy (CCE).

The African CCE plays a crucial role in economic growth, social inclusion, and human development. However, the sector faces significant challenges, including informality, insecure working conditions, and lack of social protection.

Panel of five speakers seated at a conference table during a session on promoting decent work and sustainable growth in Africa's cultural and creative sector. — Coffi Agossou, ILO Africa Deputy Regional Director, gives his opening remarks at the workshop, reminding them that “Decent work is a fundamental right for all workers, including those in the cultural and creative sector.” March 31, 2025.

Organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and ITCILO, in collaboration with the African Union (AU),the four-day event, from March 31 to April 3, brought together participants from seven African countries and marked a major step forward in discussing key issues around transition to formality, gender equality, entrepreneurship & skills development, social dialogue and extension of social protection among others.

Participants from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe shared real-world experiences and challenges, building a strong regional platform for knowledge exchange and joint action on decent work and social justice in the sector. These conversations sparked bold ideas for supporting artists, cultural professionals and enterprises, in developing comprehensive strategies for the sector.

Aligned with Goal 8 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the focused on fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all involved in the industry. It underscored the need for stronger social dialogue, development-oriented policies that facilitate productive activities, create decent jobs, foster entrepreneurship, and stimulate creativity and innovation.

“Decent work is a fundamental right for all workers, including those in the cultural and creative sector,” said Coffi Agossou, ILO Africa Deputy Regional Director, in his opening remarks. “This sector, with its immense economic and social value, must lead by example in delivering fair and secure working conditions.”

The regional workshop is a follow-up to the ILO’s technical meeting on the future of work in the arts and entertainment sector, which was held in Geneva in February 2023, and is based on the findings of the ILO study on promoting decent work in the African culture and creative economy (2023). Sessions addressed a wide range of topics: from effective social dialogue and just transition strategies to designing gender-responsive policies, including violence and harassment, and navigating the impact of digitalization. The workshop also reinforced the importance of enabling environments for enterprise development, with a focus on moving from informality to formality.

“South Africa has worked hard to rebuild structures for social dialogue and democratic institutions. But many of these gains are yet to reach our creative economy,” said Jack Devnarain, Chairperson of the South African Guild of Actors, emphasizing the need to bridge this gap.

The workshop culminated in the development of national roadmaps with clear timelines and responsibilities for stakeholders. These plans will guide future actions, mobilize resources, and help transform Africa’s culture and creative economy into engines of inclusive growth and decent employment.