Public Works and Public Employment Programmes: What role in socioeconomic recovery?

The role of public works and public employment programmes to contribute to the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, as well as transformational changes impacting the world continue to evolve and be debated. This webinar aimed to contribute to this discussion by presenting relevant and current research, and case studies of such programmes from around the globe. The webinar was an opportunity to learn about and discuss five key themes related to these programmes and how they can contribute to the ILO's goal of Decent Work for all. The event will be relevant to all working on these types of programmes, including their design, implementation, evaluation or research.

DAY 1: Thursday 21 October, 10h30 to 13h00 CET

Agenda of Day 1

Opening: Sangheon Lee, Director Employment Policy Department

Background to Webinar: Maikel Lieuw-Kie-Song, Specialist, Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP), ILO

Session 1: Lessons from the past to inform the future

Moderator: Kirit Vaidya, Aston University

• Book Launch: 100 years of Public Works in the ILO, Anna McCord (Independent) (slides of the presentation)

Session 2: There is work to do! Public investment to create jobs in green and care sectors

Moderator: Jean-François Klein, Employment Policy Department, ILO

• Public Employment Programmes in the Care Economy - The Case of South Africa, Lerato Shai, Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, South Africa (slides of the presentation)
• The 10 billion Tree Tsunami, Mr. Hassan Sukhera, National project Director, Ministry of Climate Change
• Nature-based Recovery can create jobs, deliver growth and provide value for nature, Leander Raes, IUCN (slides of the presentation)

DAY 2: Friday 22 October, 14h00 to 16h30 CET

Agenda of Day 2

Session 3: Work matters to people. And it’s about more than just the income

Moderator: Kate Philip, Presidential Employment Stimulus, South Africa

• The Psychosocial Value of Employment, Reshmaan Hussam, Harvard Business School (slides of the presentation)
• Territoires Zéro Chômage Longue Durée (TZCLD), (Territories with Zero long-term Unemployment), Victoria Bazurto, TZCLD France (slides of the presentation)

Session 4: PEPs and their multipliers and spillovers

Moderator: Samuel Asfaha, Bureau for Employers‘ Activities, ILO

• Impacts of (improving) employment guarantee schemes on the broader economy, Paul Niehaus, University of California San Diego (slides of the presentation)

Session 5: PEPs and the social contract of the future

Moderator: Christina Behrendt Head, Social Policy Unit, Social Protection Department, ILO

• Employing the unemployed of Marienthal: Evaluation of a guaranteed job program, Lukas Lehner, University of Oxford (slides of the presentation)
• Employment Matters Too Much To Society To Leave To Markets Alone The Role Of Public Employment Programmes As Part Of A Social Contract For The Future Of Work, Kate Philip, Programme Lead: Presidential Employment Stimulus, South Africa (slides of the presentation)

Closing: Mito Tsukamoto, Chief Development and Investment Branch ILO (closing statement)

Download the full programme and speaker's bios