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Arab Empoyment Forum (Thematic Papers)

The Forum addresses the broad challenges and opportunities posed by the financial and economic crisis, providing a platform for senior policy-makers and high-level representatives of workers and employers from across the Arab region.

	The global financial, economic and social crisis and the Arab countries:A review of the evidence and policies for employment creation and social protection The objective of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the links between the global economic crisis, employment creation and social protection in the Arab economies, and identify key policy areas for the attention of governments and social partners.
	Growth, employment and decent work in the Arab region: Key policy issues The purpose of this paper, prepared by the ILO for the Arab Employment Forum (Beirut, October 2009), is to stimulate debate and discussion and to draw policy attention to the need for reconsidering priorities in the region by making:(a) employment a central goal of development and economic policies; and (b) labour market governance an essential element of the reform agenda – if the dividend of the growth and economic performance of the region is to translate into real gains in higher productivity, sustained human development and decent work.
	International labour migration and employment in the Arab region: Origins, consequences and the way forward The paper attempts to provide an analysis of the two systems of Arab international labour migration in relation to the employment question in the region. The purpose is to contribute to discussions on the creation of freely-chosen and full employment in Arabcountries. However, the paper takes particular care in emphasizing the terms and conditions of work and living of foreign temporary contractual workers in the GCC countries and of Arab workers in Europe
	Supporting recovery policies through international labour standards and respect for workers’ rights:Issues and challenges for the Arab region This paper addresses the ILS dimension of the financial and economic crisis and provides a platform to identify and support recovery policies through respect for international labour standards and workers’ rights. It is aimed at serving as a background for the discussion in a thematic session to be dedicated to strengthening respect for these standards and rights.
	Building adequate social protection systems and protecting people in the Arab region This issue paper identifies four priority areas for discussion at the Arab Employment Forum: (a) building an effective social protection floor; (b) developing coherent national social security systems; (c) extending social security coverage and promoting productive employment; and, (d) strengthening social security governance and realizing rights at work. The issue paper concludes with a short outlook on the near future and puts forward four questions for tripartite discussion.
	Sustainable enterprise development and employment creation in the Arab region:A review of issues This paper outlines the critical importance of sustainable enterprises in achieving social development goals, economic diversification, income generation and poverty reduction in the region. It also highlights a number of challenges facing the crucial development of the private sector in the Arab countries. Some of the challenges are structural, others are the result of the ongoing financial and economic crisis.

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