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| Iraq
The Iraq Employment Conference was the first to address employment in Iraq. It was organized by the ILO in response to a call by the Government of Iraq and supported by the international community at the Doha Donors Meeting (May 2004). It brought together more than 70 representatives of government, employers and workers in Iraq, as well as representatives of local authorities, civil society, UN agencies, the World Bank, the IMF, and international donors. Attended by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs and the Minister of Planning in Iraq, it examined the current employment and labour market situation in Iraq, which remains "extremely precarious." Recent surveys indicate that some 30 per cent of the Iraqi labour force of around seven million is unemployed, with 50 per cent of youth unemployed. The conference adopted a Declaration highlighting that reducing high unemployment rates could make a major contribution to peace and stability that in turn could help generate a recovery in investment and growth. Tackling open unemployment or work in poor conditions should in all circumstances be central goals of economic and social policies. The Plan of Action outlined a set of policy measures and programmes needed to tackle the immediate problem of a very high level of unemployment and then to ensure that economic growth leads to sustainable, productive and remunerative employment.
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Updated by GT. Last update: 23 February 2005.
