Support the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in Kurdistan to develop an action plan to implement an employment policy

The ILO and the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in Iraq are working to create a policy framework and relevant mechanisms to implement a Kurdistan Employment Policy.

Despite the efforts of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to reduce joblessness, unemployment remains one of the largest challenges in the Autonomous Kurdish Region of Iraq. The Kurdistan Regional Development Strategy (2013-2017) focuses on providing employment opportunities focused on the youth and achieving economic growth through support to the private sector. With regard to employment, the strategy aims to decrease unemployment rates to 1 per cent by 2017, reduce the rate of immigration to cities, resettle 5 per cent of the rural labour migrants as well as address skills mismatches between the education system, the training system and the labour market.

The project also aims to produce a framework for policy implementation which includes an action plan and capacity building to enhance tripartite support essential to a Kurdistan Employment Strategy. Furthermore, the project will also focus on building the capacity to improve the quality of skills development systems and employment service structures.

Objectives

  • Improve the KRG's capacity to implement employment policy as well as monitor and evaluate its outputs and outcomes;
  • implement priority areas of the Kurdistan Employment Policy and develop an action plan to implement the policy as a whole.
  • develop the capacity of the KRG Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA) to implement employment policy as well as monitor and evaluate progress;
  • assist the MOLSA and social partners to develop an action plan for employment policy implementation; and
  • assist the MOLSA to develop employment services and an outline for a skills development strategy.

Main Activities

  • Establish a high-level committee for employment policy coordination in the KRG with detailed functions, roles and coordination structures;
  • organise capacity building workshops for committee members on employment policy formulation implementation and monitoring of employment promotion strategies, as well as workshops for workers and employers to effectively participate in policy making;
  • establish focal points at line ministries, as well as at workers and employers organisations, in order to coordinate the development of an employment policy action plan with detailed functions, roles and coordination mechanisms;
  • organize capacity building workshops for focal points on employment policy formulation and implementation, as well as on project management and monitoring;
  • provide technical support and mentoring of focal points through bi-weekly technical meetings;
  • establish an Employment Policy Unit with clear functions, management structures, staff requirements and work plans;
  • organize capacity building activities for staff on strategic planning, leadership and managerial skills;
  • conduct consultations with all stakeholders to prioritize employment policy statements;
  • prioritise policy initiatives that can be implemented in the immediate term in consultation with the with relevant stakeholders;
  • assign a task force to develop an employment policy action plan through tripartite and bi-partite consultations;
  • submit the employment policy action for endorsement by Parliament, and seek budgetary allocations;
  • develop a monitoring and evaluation system as well as tools to follow up the implementation of employment policy;
  • conduct a needs assessment of employment centres in Iraqi Kurdistan;
  • develop a detailed master plan for revitalised employment services in Iraqi Kurdistan and obtain high-level endorsement;
  • organise a national consultation for reporting on consensus building and obtain the endorsement of the high-level committee on the employment services master plan;
  • conduct a desk review of national and regional documents related to labour markets and skills development;
  • organise workshops on a skills development strategy;
  • establish broad consultation frameworks with stakeholders such as workers’ and employers’ organizations; and
  • develop an outline for a skills development strategy in Kurdistan.

Outcomes

  • A high-level regional structure is established to develop an employment policy;
  • the capacity of focal points at KRG line ministries is developed to effectively coordinate the implementation of employment policy;
  • a fully-functioning Employment Policy Implementation Unit is established at the MOLSA;
  • policy statements are prioritized and priority areas for action are identified;
  • an employment policy action plan and monitoring mechanism are developed to implement the KRG employment strategy, in consultation with relevant stakeholders;
  • monitoring and evaluation systems as well as mechanisms are developed and implemented;
  • a master plan to revamp and strengthen employment services in Iraqi Kurdistan is developed; and
  • an outline for a skills development strategy is developed.