African Union, ILO, and UNESCO Launch CREATE Programme to Foster Decent Work in Africa's Creative Economy

The validation was celebrated as a significant milestone in Africa’s efforts to unlock the full potential of its cultural and creative industries, which are brimming with talent, innovation, and cultural heritage.

The African Union (AU), in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNESCO, has officially validated the ambitious Joint Programme CREATE, aimed at transforming Africa’s cultural and creative sectors into engines of inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development. This landmark initiative seeks to address significant challenges faced by artists and creative professionals across the continent, including job insecurity, low wages, and limited access to social protection. The validation process, which was attended by 29 Member States both in-person and virtually from Johannesburg, marks a critical step in promoting decent work in Africa's vibrant cultural and creative economy.

The validation was celebrated as a significant milestone in Africa’s efforts to unlock the full potential of its cultural and creative industries, which are brimming with talent, innovation, and cultural heritage. Angela Martins, the Acting Director of the AU Department of Social Development, Culture, and Sport, expressed her enthusiasm about the programme's potential to bring about positive change. “The AU Commission, in partnership with ILO and UNESCO, has worked tirelessly to develop the CREATE Programme, which will improve working conditions for artists and creative professionals, promote stronger protections, and create better opportunities in Africa’s cultural and creative sectors,” she stated.

Tackling Existing Challenges

Africa’s creative economy has immense potential, yet many artists continue to face unstable job conditions, low income, and inadequate legal protections. The CREATE Programme was designed with these realities in mind, addressing several key challenges outlined in a joint study by the ILO, AU, and UNESCO. One of the most pressing issues highlighted in the study was the widespread informality within the sector, leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation. Artists frequently face a lack of contracts, limited access to social protection, and irregular, unregulated wages.

Martins highlighted that the Revised AU Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries has called for more robust investment in cultural spaces, stronger trade connections within Africa and globally, and improved legal frameworks to safeguard the rights of artists. It also emphasizes the importance of protecting intellectual property rights, ensuring fair compensation for creative professionals, and embracing digital technology to empower African creatives to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving global landscape.

Khumbula Ndaba, Director of the ILO Country Office in Addis Ababa, emphasized the historical context of the programme’s creation. “The CREATE programme emerged as part of the African Union’s Year of Arts, Culture, and Heritage in 2021, which underscored the importance of culture and heritage as central drivers of Africa’s development. This programme is a response to the urgent need to address the decent work deficits identified in our joint study,” Ndaba explained during his opening remarks.

A Multi-Layered Approach for Sustainable Impact

The CREATE Programme will be implemented on three levels: continental, regional, and national. At the continental level, the AU will play a central role in coordinating the initiative, with a focus on harmonizing policies and advocacy efforts across African nations. This will help ensure that the programme’s objectives are aligned with broader continental goals and that there is a cohesive approach to addressing challenges in the creative economy.

At the regional level, the programme will engage regional economic communities to foster cross-border collaboration, enabling countries to work together on common challenges and opportunities. Finally, at the national level, the programme will collaborate with governments to design tailored interventions that address local needs and support the development of the creative sectors within each country.

Expected Outcomes and Benefits

The CREATE Programme is designed to achieve a number of transformative outcomes. These include the legal recognition and protection of cultural professionals, access to comprehensive social protection for all workers in the sector, and the establishment of effective social dialogue mechanisms to improve working conditions. The programme will also work to create a supportive institutional and legal environment that encourages formal employment and fosters the creation of sustainable enterprises. By focusing on skill development, the programme aims to provide artists and creative professionals with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive global market.

The expected outcomes also include the creation of policies and programmes that will contribute to sustainable economic growth and development in Africa. By investing in cultural and creative industries, the programme will help unlock the full potential of this sector as a driver of economic and social progress, contributing to the achievement of the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A Historic Partnership for African Creativity

The collaboration between the AU, ILO, and UNESCO marks a significant moment in Africa’s cultural and creative development. By bringing together the expertise and resources of these three influential organizations, the CREATE Programme represents a united effort to transform the creative economy into a thriving sector that can provide decent work, generate sustainable livelihoods, and enhance the global visibility of African culture and creativity.

As the programme prepares for endorsement by the AU Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Youth, Culture, and Sports in June 2025, stakeholders across Africa are optimistic about the positive change it promises to bring. With a focus on fair working conditions, economic empowerment, and the protection of cultural workers, the CREATE Programme is poised to set a new standard for Africa’s creative industries and contribute to the continent’s broader development goals.

By fostering an environment that recognizes and supports the value of creativity and culture, the CREATE Programme will help Africa’s artists, musicians, filmmakers, and other creatives build sustainable careers, while also preserving and promoting the continent's rich cultural heritage for future generations.