Employment programs are integral to peace-building and state building goals in fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCS), but face such hurdles as weak institutions, lack of trust and a history of conflict and violence. Addressing this complex problem will require a coordinated, integrated and multi-sectoral approach.
The overall objective of our FCS activities is support sustainable and inclusive employment generation as an essential part of economic and social revitalization efforts in FCS through:
- development and coordination of multi-sectoral diagnostics
- design and testing of innovative and scalable interventions
- expanded coordination among international partners (e.g. EC, UNDP, ILO)
- building of a network of local implementation partners.
Specific activities will be organized around three pillars:
1) Promoting and disseminating high-quality analysis on and identifying promising programs and strategies for job creation in FCS. This includes analysis of the constraints to private investment and job creation in FCS, based on the principle of 'do no harm,’ and ensuring that initiatives alleviate rather than aggravate existing grievances. Activities include:
- mapping and stocktaking of existing programs across sectors and agencies that affect job creation at the early economic vitalization phase in FCS
- country workshops with relevant stakeholders to take facilitate learning from existing tools and programs.
2) Piloting country-level jobs diagnostic tools and supporting project design and preparation of innovative interventions for job creation. Based on the learning from the analysis and stocktaking, a menu (and where appropriate, a package) of country interventions will be designed to deepen knowledge about jobs solutions in FCS countries. This will include:
- country-level jobs performance assessments
- country data gap analyses, evaluations of innovative programs
- training programs in jobs diagnostic tools and analytic techniques
3) Build capacity among government agencies to diagnose jobs constraints and priorities, monitor performance, and support the design and implementation of a multi-sectorial strategy and reforms expanding job opportunities. Activities will include:
- capacity assessments of local institutions
- development of suitable training programs and subsequent medium term reform plans
- development of a network of jobs practitioners drawing on active partners from the participating countries and international community
The lessons learned – from new diagnostic tools to practical insights on improving interventions –will be disseminated to the wider community working on jobs in FCV countries through peer-to-peer learning effects, policy notes, papers and workshops.
