Syria witnessed unprecedented changes in both political and economic spheres in recent years. With the accession of a new president in July 2000, the country has set the stage for political and economic liberalization. For the first time in 30 years, the government lifted restrictions on publication of newspapers and restrictions on establishment of private banks and opening the stock market. The Government took advantage of the high price of crude oil to increase state-sector salaries and civil servant’s pension by 25 percent and 20 percent respectively, and intensified efforts to promote employment.

Syria is highly dependant on the revenue from the oil export, which accounts for 55-60 percent of all exports and also on the agricultural product. In this connection, the increase in oil prices in 2000 provided the government with much needed relief. Real GDP showed a modest growth of 1.5 percent over the previous year. Government tight control over fiscal policies has checked the inflation rate at 5 percent during the year 2000.

In the new reform initiatives, a high priority is attached to job creation. This comes against a backdrop of growing young population (over 40 percent) and a large number of new entrants (about 330,000) to the labour market every year. In November 2000, the cabinet approved a package to tackle the unemployment problem by creating 440,000 new jobs. The package was said to include a range of vocational training programmes as well as soft loans to help start small businesses.

In line with the national development efforts, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MOSAL) is attaching great importance to skills development, protection of workers, particularly in the agricultural sector and socio-economic reintegration of disabled persons. Efforts are exerted to modernize the structure and operations of the Ministry. The Ministry hosted the ILO’s inter-regional seminar on the core Conventions in May 1999 and is scheduled to host another inter-regional seminar on technical cooperation in October 2001. The Minister is H.E. Dr. Baria Koudsi .

Employers’ organizations are represented by the Damascus Chamber of Industry (DCI), which was established in 1935. Employers’ organizations attach great importance to such issues as strengthening services related to small enterprise development, job creation and gender equality. In 2000, ILO provided technical assistance to the Chamber of Industry with a view to enhancing the capacities of the industrial businesswomen committee, which was established in 1999. The assistance included technical advisory services, a workshop designed to establish strategies and action plans and a fellowship for participation in the Turin Centre training course.

Workers’ organizations are represented by the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU). A new DANIDA-funded programme entitled "Strengthening of Occupational Safety and Health Education and Training" has just been launched. The programme is designed to enhance the capacities of GFTU on education and training on safety and health. Also, technical and financial contributions were provided to the workers’ national seminar on trade unions and globalization, which was organized by GFTU in November 2000.

A fellowship for participation in the Turin training course on international labour standards (May 2001).

The ILO implemented the "Pilot Project on Community-Based Rehabilitation" (UNDP: $303,064, operationally completed in 2000);

Technical and financial assistance to manpower survey in the agricultural sector which is being conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics;

Fellowships for participation in the Turin Centre training courses: "Promotion and Development of Local Employment Initiatives" (Turin, May 2000); "Improving the Performance of Private Enterprises" (Turin, June 2000); "Public Service Reform and Development" (Turin, November 2000); and "Management of Technical Cooperation", (Turin, February 2000).

ILO implemented a national project on occupational safety and health in agriculture (completed in 2000) within the framework of the ILO/DANIDA inter-regional programme on managing safety in particularly hazardous occupations;

ILO has just launched a new DANIDA-funded programme on "Strengthening of Occupational Safety and Health Education and Training" ($30,000). The programme is designed to enhance the capacities of the General Federation of Trade Unions on education and training on safety and health.

Fellowship for participation in the training course "Comparative Analysis of International and National Standards on Occupational Safety and Health", (Beirut, April 2001).

Participation of the tripartite delegation in ILO/ALO inter-regional seminar on social dialogue (Beirut, October 2000);

Technical and financial contributions to workers’ national seminar on trade unions and globalization, organized by GFTU (November 2000);

Training workshop on strategic planning for the industrial businesswomen committee of the Damascus Chamber of Industry (November 2000);

Fellowships for participation in the Turin Center training courses: "Trade Union Training for Collective Bargaining", (Turin, November 2000); "Strengthening Women Entrepreneurs’ Associations" (Turin, November 2000); and "Labour Rights, International Labour Standards and Globalizations" (Turin, November 2000).

Syria ratified a total of 46 ILO Conventions, including the following 6 core Conventions:

• Convention No. 29: Forced Labour, 1930
• Convention No. 87: Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, 1948
• Convention No. 98: Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining, 1949
• Convention No. 100: Equal Remuneration, 1951
• Convention No. 105: Abolition of Forced Labour, 1957
• Convention No. 111: Discrimination (Employment and Occupation), 1958

Ratification of Conventions 138 and 182 is under consideration. ILO has been providing assistance on the reporting required for the ratified Conventions and on their applications, and exerting efforts for the promotion of awareness and understanding on the Declaration.

 Updated by CHW. Approved by RD. Last update: 3 August 2001.