The Future of Work West and Central Africa (FoW WCA) Hub participated in the FutureWORKS Collective Midpoint Research Workshop, named AI Impact Summit 2026. The ISSER team was led by the Principal Investigator, Prof. Peter Quartey, alongside the Project Director, Ms. Adadzewa Otoo, and Postdoctoral Researcher, Dr. Miriam Afi Kosi. The WCA team contributed regional perspectives to the Collective's discussions on research direction, collaboration, and impact -- helping shape priorities for the next phase of work. The one-week summit took place in New Delhi, India, and was hosted by the Government of India, JustJobs Network and the FutureWORKS Collective.
Prof. Quartey spoke at the official pre-summit event, joining a high-level panel of global experts to discuss Securing Labour Justice in the Age of AI: A Global South Policy Dialogue. The discussion examined how workers can be protected as technology advances faster than labour safeguards.
Reflecting on the workshop, Prof. Peter Quartey stated, "The midpoint workshop was a valuable opportunity to see the breadth of work happening across all five regional hubs. It reminded us that the strength of the FutureWORKS Collective lies in its ability to bridge local realities with the global conversation on the future of work -- and that is precisely what we intend to continue championing from the West and Central Africa hub of the IDRC funded project."
Regional hubs align research, and refine impact pathways
Throughout the week, participants from all five regional hubs of the FutureWORKS Collective engaged in structured workshops and facilitated discussions focused on aligning shared outputs for the next phase of the project (2026 -- 2028). The sessions enabled peer learning, allowing teams to exchange methodological approaches, reflect on comparative regional dynamics, and identify cross-cutting themes such as informality, technology, skills and climate transitions.
The workshop also provided space to refine the Collective’s impact pathways, strengthening how FWC research connects to and influences the broader global labour and development ecosystem.
Grounding research in lived experience
A particularly meaningful component of the workshop was a field visit to Sudhaar Camp, where local opinion leaders guided participants through the settlement and shared insights into everyday life, livelihoods and social organisation. These first-hand perspectives highlighted both resilience and constraint within the community.
Following the visit, participants engaged in open and reflective discussions with community leaders about livelihoods, aspirations and the structural challenges shaping the lives of low-income urban residents. These conversations reinforced the importance of centering community voices and lived realities in future of work research and policymaking.
The midpoint workshop, held from 14 to 18 January, reaffirmed the FutureWORKS Collective's commitment to research that is globally relevant, regionally grounded, and socially anchored. As the Collective moves into its next phase, the workshop serves not only as a strategic milestone but also as a reminder that shaping inclusive futures of work requires sustained collaboration across regions -- and meaningful engagement with the communities whose lives and labour are at the centre of these transformations.
###
About the FutureWORKS Collective
The FutureWORKS Collective (FWC) is a global consortium funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), operating across five regional hubs -- Latin America, South and East Africa, West and Central Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and Asia. The Collective examines the future of labour markets in developing countries in response to technological advancements, climate change, and energy transition. The West and Central Africa (WCA) hub is led by Prof. Peter Quartey and hosted by the Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana, with support from ISRA-BAME, Senegal.
Read more articles
- Log in to post comments