Reflections on Experiences of the International Labour Organization: Towards Promoting Decent Employment for Public Works Programmes in Iraq

Erbil, IRAQ (ILO NEWS)- Iraq today faces immense economic and social challenges resulting from years of conflict and economic obstacles. Widespread unemployment, urgent infrastructure needs, and social inequality make it essential to seek innovative and effective solutions to overcome these challenges. In this context, the National Public Works Program stands as one of the important initiatives that could significantly contribute to providing decent job opportunities for the most vulnerable groups, such as women, youth, and displaced persons, while also improving the country’s infrastructure.

Public Works Programmes have been used globally to stimulate economic growth and reconstruction, not only by creating immediate job opportunities but also by investing in the improvement and development of essential services and realizing other complementary socio-economic objectives. The International Labour Organization and the Ministry of Planning jointly organized a consultative workshop in Erbil on September 2024, gathering key stakeholders, including the Iraqi Government, civil society organizations, and development experts, to discuss how to design and implement a national public employment programme (PEP).  PEPs are state(or donor)-funded programmes that have as their primary purpose the creation of employment that contributes to the public good, but are outside the normal public service and complement rather than displace existing delivery mechanisms  The workshop aimed to present, discuss and seek consensus amongst national stakeholders on the road map process by reviewing successful local, regional and international practices and experiences and providing clear recommendations for the establishment and operationalization of a National Public Employment Programme that meets the interests of the nation of Iraq and promotes decent work principles.

We have seen the implementation of similar programmes, using social development funds in Yemen and Egypt, regional public works programmes in Jordan, Turkey, and Syria, community road maintenance in Morocco, and the ongoing ILO employment-intensive investment programme supporting decentralization in infrastructure functions in Tunisia.  Although not all these programmes are fully financed nationally yet, they have an objective to use public investments to create local job opportunities creating needed employment for vulnerable groups who face difficulties in accessing paid work by engaging them in providing much-needed public infrastructure assets and/or basic services.  And as ILO, we promote the objectives of inclusive employment and decent work.

© ILO/ 19 September 2024/ Erbil, Iraq

International Lessons and Experiences

During the workshop, programme design considerations and successful examples from other countries were discussed, showcasing how these initiatives could bring multiple benefits. These included national public employment programmes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) in India, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in South Africa, the Social Fund for Development in Yemen and highlighted also the successes of Employment Intensive Investment Programme in Dohuk, Iraq which focused widely on infrastructure development and green works, improving public services and providing decent employment. These examples offer valuable lessons on how Iraq can adopt similar strategies to address the economic and social challenges it faces.

Experience of the ILO in supporting the design and implementation of similar Public Employment Programmes has established three key aspects including careful design, monitoring of performance and continued adjustments; ensuring the objectives are clear and realistic; and ensuring that the programmes are inclusive and based on an appropriate wage. 

One of the key lessons from international experiences is the importance of embedding decent work principles and effective targeting of women, youth and the disabled into such programmes.  Ensuring fair wages and equality between men and women, safe working conditions, and the right to social protection not only benefits workers but also contributes to the long-term success and sustainability of these programmes. Workshop participants emphasized that a National Public Employment Programme in Iraq should integrate these standards from the outset to maximize its impact.

Learning from global practices and effective design of other existing national public employment programmes over the years and ensuring that as part of the life cycle those that are able-bodied and willing to work are given the equal opportunity to work are valuable insights that Iraq can use to design and monitor its national strategies.

Focus on Decent Work and Infrastructure Development

In Iraq, a National Public Employment Programme can stimulate job creation, providing immediate relief to those most affected by unemployment or underemployment. Simultaneously, it would help rebuild vital infrastructure, from roads and schools to water systems, which are crucial for the country’s development, support green works to address climate change, and contribute to the restoration of cultural heritage.  A PEP could also increase support in a wide range of care services for the local community offering equal opportunities to men and women. The programme has the potential to contribute to regional stability, especially in conflict-affected areas, by fostering job creation and restoring local economic growth, contributing to social cohesion.

However, achieving these outcomes requires a carefully designed strategy. A critical factor is ensuring that the programme targets the right beneficiaries, including the poor, women, youth, disabled and displaced persons, who are often excluded from the formal labour market. By focusing on these vulnerable groups, Iraq’s National Public Employment Programme would directly contribute to poverty reduction through decent work, social protection, and the development of a more inclusive labour market.

Key Recommendations Moving Forward

To ensure the successful implementation of Iraq’s National Public Employment Programme, workshop participants outlined several key recommendations. Foremost among these is that the government, alongside the ILO and other development partners, should invest in building the capacity of local institutions to manage and implement public employment programmes effectively. This includes training workers and supervisors, as well as ensuring the availability of the necessary technical expertise.

The national program must also align with Iraq’s broader national development goals, particularly in areas such as poverty reduction, infrastructure development, and regional stability. This alignment would help ensure that public works projects contribute to long-term sustainable development. Three key opportunities can ensure that an NPEP in Iraq makes an impact and leaves a legacy, contributing to some of the other priorities mentioned in the Iraq National Development Plan. The first opportunity lies in infrastructure development and the PEPs potential to contribute to infrastructure construction, restoration, rehabilitation and maintenance.  The second is through the restoration of natural infrastructure - Iraq’s ecosystems provide critical services like water treatment and storage, soil formation, shade and cooling erosion control and many others. The third opportunity is the potential to expand the provision of services to “useful work” which is prioritized by the communities themselves.  Additionally, the programme should address several core principles including Creating a mechanism to prioritize participation in projects to respond to what is perceived as the most urgent local needs;  Supporting gender empowerment and youth employment: Ensuring social inclusion at the workplace for persons with disabilities; Strengthening a development focus by not designing the PEP as a crisis response programme with short-term gains; and increasing policy coherence with other key employment, social protection, sectoral and development strategies and resources allocated. This is crucial for promoting social cohesion and Increasing support in a wide range of care services, in local community services to address the root causes of inequalities in post-conflict Iraq.

However, caution is also provided in that although Public Employment Programmes can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, achieving them all is not a given, and we can easily overload them with too many objectives, causing programmes to lose focus and being able to live up to their promise. Hence a need to balance trade-offs between objectives, which need to be carefully weighed against each other.

By adhering to these recommendations, Iraq’s National Public Employment Programme can become a key tool in addressing unemployment and achieving sustainable development.

As Iraq embarks on its post-conflict recovery journey, national public employment programmes offer a promising opportunity to address the dual challenges of unemployment and infrastructure deficits. By leveraging international experiences, Iraq can design a programme that not only creates inclusive jobs but also improves the quality of public infrastructure and contributes to social stability.

Mito Tsukamoto

Branch Chief of Employment Investment at the ILO