Enhancing Labour Inspection Effectiveness in the Arab States

This project contributes to the long-term socio-economic development of participating countries by strengthening social dialogue and improving compliance with labour legislation, while promoting social justice and decent work, which will ultimately enhance productivity and employment.

The importance of labour inspection in promoting Decent Work is widely recognised. Yet, in reality, many labour inspectorates are poorly resourced and unable to make a significant impact in the world of work. In the countries covered by the project (Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Oman), there is a significant need to either strengthen or establish a basic labour inspection system, from which workers in all economic sectors will benefit. All the countries covered by the Regional Office for Arab States face common challenges, notwithstanding the fact that the labour law does not cover the agriculture sector or domestic workers, which leads to a monitoring gap by the labour inspectorates. In many cases the law does not include specific provisions related to fishery. Accordingly, the project is specifically addressing this sector. In three of the four countries covered by the project, child labour is a serious challenge for the labour inspectorate. The law in these countries may have been amended in compliance with international labour standards, yet the implementation and enforcement of legislation remains a challenge.
 

Objectives

This project contributes to the long-term socio-economic development of participating countries by strengthening social dialogue and improving compliance with labour legislation, while promoting social justice and decent work, which will ultimately enhance productivity and employment. In the national development context, the project contributes towards combating some of the obstacles to social and economic progress highlighted in the Poverty Reduction Strategy process, namely the high levels of informal work, the exclusion of rural areas from services, weak rule of law and law-enforcement mechanisms, limited administrative capacity and corruption. Immediate objectives revolve around:
  • Strengthening and modernizing labour inspectorates;
  • Building the capacities of labour inspectorates, employers’ and workers’ organizations and other institutional partners’ to actively promote compliance with legislation.

Expected results

Upon completion of the project, the following results will be achieved:
  • Audit reports and/or action plans based on audit conclusions and recommendations will be drafted.
  • Inspectors will have been trained in modern inspection practices.
  • Information and training packages on modern inspection practices will be developed.
  • ILO website pages on labour inspection will be updated and expanded.
  • Audit results and best practices will be publicly available, after dissemination through international meetings and networks.
  • Partnerships for labour inspection will be established or reinvigorated.
  • Collaboration between labour inspectorates and private inspection initiatives in the area of working conditions and occupational safety and health will have improved.
  • Education campaigns for employers and workers on new inspection procedures will have been conducted.