Labour Market Flexibility, Migration, and Inflexible Social Protection in the SADC Region

This article considers the international and regional framework and the (in) flexibility of labour and social regulation, the lack of coordination, and the limited nature of exportability and portability arrangements in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The focus is the social protection available to categories of non-citizen migrant workers in certain countries within the region. The development of a comprehensive social security system in SADC is challenging. Existing social protection measures are limited and unable to address the extreme poverty in the region. High unemployment and ineffective labour laws increase the difficulties in providing adequate protection and decent work to all. Multilateral and bilateral agreements are not commonly utilized. The article will also attempt to consider the way forward for researchers and policy makers alike.