ILO: public employment programs can rebuild Iraq's infrastructure and promote social cohesion
Shafaq News/Iraq's ongoing economic and social challenges, stemming from years of conflictand instability, demand innovative solutions. In a recent report, theInternational Labour Organization (ILO) reflects on the role that public worksprograms can play in promoting decent employment and rebuilding the country'sinfrastructure.
The report,titled “Reflections on Experiences of the International Labour Organization:Towards Promoting Decent Employment for Public Works Programmes in Iraq”, drawson the insights of Mito Tsukamoto, Branch Chief of Employment Investment at theILO.
The NationalPublic Works Program (NPEP) in Iraq is positioned as a remarkable initiativeaimed at addressing the nation's high unemployment rates, particularly amongvulnerable groups such as women, youth, and displaced persons while improvingIraq's infrastructure.
“Publicworks programmes have been used globally to stimulate economic growth andreconstruction,” Tsukamoto explains, adding that these programmes not onlycreate immediate job opportunities but also invest in essential services andachieve broader socio-economic objectives.
Lessons fromGlobal Experiences
The ILO, incollaboration with Iraq’s Ministry of Planning, recently held a consultativeworkshop in Erbil to discuss the design and implementation of a national publicemployment programme. The workshop brought together government officials, civilsociety organizations, and development experts to review both local andinternational best practices. Public employment programmes (PEPs), Tsukamotoexplains, “are state (or donor)-funded programmes that create employmentcontributing to the public good, outside of normal public service, andcomplement existing delivery mechanisms.”
The reportdraws on the success of similar programmes in countries such as India, SouthAfrica, Yemen, and Egypt. “We have seen the implementation of similarprogrammes, using social development funds in Yemen and Egypt, regional publicworks programmes in Jordan, Turkey, and Syria,” Tsukamoto notes. Theseinitiatives, while not always fully funded, have successfully created local jobopportunities, particularly for vulnerable groups.
One notableexample mentioned in the report is Iraq's own “Employment Intensive InvestmentProgramme” in Duhok, which has made significant progress in infrastructuredevelopment and green works. The program is credited with improving publicservices while offering decent employment opportunities.
Key DesignPrinciples
Drawing frominternational experiences, Tsukamoto mentioned three aspects of publicemployment programmes: careful design, performance monitoring, and ongoingadjustments. She stresses the importance of clear and realistic objectives, aswell as inclusivity and appropriate wage standards. “One of the key lessons isembedding decent work principles and effective targeting of women, youth, andthe disabled into such programmes,” she states, stressing that ensuring fairwages and equality in the workplace is essential for long-term success.
BuildingIraq’s Infrastructure and Social Cohesion
Awell-designed National Public Employment Programme in Iraq has the potential toaddress multiple challenges, from unemployment to infrastructure deficits.Tsukamoto notes that these programmes can “rebuild vital infrastructure, fromroads and schools to water systems,” while also supporting climate changeinitiatives through green works. Additionally, the report highlights thepotential for PEPs to increase care services in local communities, offeringequal opportunities to both men and women.
According tothe ILO report, the programme could also foster regional stability by creatingjobs in conflict-affected areas, contributing to local economic recovery andsocial cohesion. However, Tsukamoto cautions that the programme must target theright beneficiaries, including the poor, women, youth, disabled, and displacedpersons, to achieve meaningful poverty reduction.
Recommendationsfor Implementation
The ILOreport provides several key recommendations for the successful implementationof Iraq's National Public Employment Programme. First, it calls for investmentin building the capacity of local institutions to manage and implement theprogramme effectively. This includes training both workers and supervisors andensuring the availability of technical expertise. The programme must also alignwith Iraq’s broader national development goals, such as poverty reduction andregional stability.
Three keyopportunities identified in the report include: infrastructure development,restoration of Iraq’s ecosystems, and expansion of services prioritized bylocal communities. The report stresses that the programme should not bedesigned solely as a short-term crisis response but as a long-term developmentstrategy that fosters social inclusion and policy coherence.
However,Tsukamoto warns that public employment programmes must strike a balance betweencompeting objectives. “Although PEPs can achieve multiple objectivessimultaneously, achieving them all is not a given,” she cautions, stressing theimportance of careful consideration to avoid overloading the programme with toomany goals.
"Byadhering to these recommendations, Iraq's National Public Employment Programmecan become a key tool in addressing unemployment and achieving sustainabledevelopment," Tsukamoto concluded.
