For two days, Wednesday 15th to Thursday 16th April—leaders will engage in evidence-based dialogue. They will confront structural barriers limiting youth employment. They will debate how to align skills development with labour-market demand.
In April 2026, the golden light of Kampala’s morning sun will stretch across the grand entrance of the Kampala Serena Hotel. Delegates from every corner of the country—policy makers, entrepreneurs, trade unionists, development partners, scholars, and young innovators—will walk through its doors carrying a shared sense of urgency and hope.
Inside, the 4th Annual National Labour Convention & Expo will come to life, convened by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development as the centrepiece of Labour Week ahead of International Labour Day.
But this will be more than a meeting. It will be a reckoning with reality—and a declaration of intent.
Since its inception in 2023, the Annual National Labour Convention & Expo has grown into one of Uganda’s most influential platforms shaping the future of work. The first three gatherings strengthened national dialogue on decent work, informed policy reforms, elevated social justice priorities, and fostered collaboration across government, employers’ and workers’ organisations, civil society, and development partners. Networks were built. Innovations were shared. Commitments were made.
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Now, in 2026, Uganda stands at a defining moment.
The numbers are both sobering and powerful. With a population of 45.9 million and growing at nearly 3 percent annually, Uganda is one of the youngest nations in the world. More than three-quarters of its people are under the age of 30. The working-age population accounts for 57.4 percent of all Ugandans—an immense reservoir of energy, ambition, and creativity.
Yet the labour market tells a complex story. Employment-to-population ratios hover between 38 and 43 percent. Youth unemployment remains persistent. Over 80 percent of the labour force operates in the informal economy—often in low-productivity agriculture or vulnerable service sectors, marked by limited protections and uncertain incomes.
Every year, thousands more young Ugandans step into this landscape, searching not just for work, but for opportunity.
Globally, young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults—a trend especially pronounced across Sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, despite steady economic growth averaging 5–6 percent, many young people remain underemployed or trapped in precarious work. Productivity levels lag behind regional and global benchmarks, constraining wages and limiting economic mobility.
Yet within these challenges lies the promise of transformation.
Research from the International Labour Organization shows that productivity gains driven by skills development, work-based learning, technology adoption, formalisation, and enterprise upgrading are closely linked to higher earnings, improved job quality, and sustainable job creation. For Uganda, advancing productivity is not merely an economic strategy—it is the bridge between demographic pressure and demographic dividend.
This understanding defines the 2026 Convention’s theme:
“Unlocking the Potential of Uganda’s Youth Labour Force: Advancing Productivity and Expanding Opportunities for Decent Work.”
For two days, Wednesday 15th to Thursday 16th April—leaders will engage in evidence-based dialogue. They will confront structural barriers limiting youth employment. They will debate how to align skills development with labour-market demand. They will examine how to strengthen labour-market institutions and promote productive pathways across both formal and informal sectors.
Anchored in Uganda’s long-term aspirations under Vision 2040, the Third National Development Plan, and the Tenfold Growth Strategy aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Convention seeks more than conversation. It seeks commitments. It seeks scalable solutions. It seeks measurable progress.
In the corridors between plenaries, partnerships will be forged. In workshops, ideas will sharpen into policy proposals. At exhibition booths, young entrepreneurs and enterprises will demonstrate what becomes possible when skills meet technology and ambition meets opportunity.
Above all, the Convention stands as a unifying platform—affirming that decent work is not only about employment, but about dignity, fairness, security, and economic justice. It recognises that Uganda’s youthful population is not a burden to manage, but a force capable of driving inclusive growth and national transformation.
As Uganda advances toward Vision 2040 and its ambition of tenfold economic growth, the 4th Annual National Labour Convention & Expo will mark both reflection and resolve.
And when the final session closes at the Kampala Serena Hotel, what will remain will not only be speeches or statistics—but a renewed national commitment: to unlock the full potential of Uganda’s youth, to build a more productive and resilient labour market, and to shape a future of work where opportunity is not the exception, but the expectation.
