Zimbabwe Listed Among the World’s Worst Labour Rights Offenders

Zimbabwe is once again in the spotlight over workers’ rights after the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) added the country to its watch list in the 13th edition of the Global Rights Index, a report that documents labour-rights violations around the world.

In its assessment, the ITUC groups Zimbabwe among countries where labour conditions are deteriorating, pointing to what it describes as a rollback of workers’ rights fuelled by state harassment, arbitrary arrests of trade unionists, and limits on collective action. The confederation said Zimbabwe has remained in the index’s worst-performing category since 2014, and flagged a pattern of increased surveillance, the detention of union leaders during strikes, and legal changes that allow authorities to restrict or deregister unions labelled “political” or “high risk”.

The report also links labour concerns to wider political strains, warning that proposed changes to election timelines could further erode workplace protections.