Baghdad, Iraq (ILO News) Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Ahmad Al-Asadi inaugurated the newly established National Training Centre at the Ministry, set up in collaboration with the ILO and the financial support of the European Union.

The centre will build the capacity of labour and social security inspectors and other professionals from across governorates on the principles and functions of labour inspection, occupational health and safety and social security.

Officials from the Ministry, EU and the ILO, including ILO Country Coordinator Maha Kattaa, toured the facility which will be equipped with resources and tools related to effective labour inspection systems and will be used as a central hub for training.

A key element under the EU-funded project to enhance labour governance, inspection and working conditions is building the capacities of inspectors on modern labour inspection procedures. In 2022, Iraq launched new policies on labour inspection and Occupational Safety and Health, that contribute to modernizing the labour inspection system and improve working conditions for workers and their employers.

With the support of the EU, the ILO is implementing a programme to reform social protection, which includes supporting inspectors in the social security department of the Ministry to perform their duties in light of the newly adopted Retirement and Social Security Law for private sector workers.