Employment-intensive labour market recovery from the earthquakes in Syria

• Restore community safety through debris removal, sidewalk rehabilitation, and sewage network repairs and rehabilitate infrastructure to improve living conditions in earthquake-affected areas.
• Create decent job opportunities using an Employment-Intensive Approach.
• Train workers, contractors, and implementing partners to enhance skills and employability, with a focus on women and persons with disabilities.
• Strengthen awareness and implementation of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) principles.
• Improve labour market data collection through an upgraded Labour Force Survey.
• Support social protection reforms for vulnerable communities.
• Develop and disseminate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Employment-Intensive Works.

• Improved job prospects for vulnerable communities through immediate decent job creation through infrastructure recovery work while enhancing workers’ skills and raising awareness on OSH principles.
• Labour Force Survey updated to generate reliable labour market data on employment, unemployment, and labour market trends. The findings support evidence-based decision-making and future employment programming.
• ILO constituents are equipped to engage in social protection reforms for vulnerable populations through capacity-building workshops, technical assistance, and policy dialogue sessions, in order to strengthen institutional readiness to design and implement inclusive social protection strategies.

© ILO

© ILO

The project supported earthquake-affected areas through debris removal, sidewalk rehabilitation, sewage and stormwater network repairs, and recycling of damaged materials. These efforts improved safety, accessibility, and living conditions for vulnerable communities.

Short-term employment opportunities were provided through infrastructure rehabilitation work, offering income support to individuals from vulnerable groups. These jobs also contributed to economic recovery and strengthened local livelihoods.

A diverse group of individuals, including women and persons with disabilities, participated in vocational training. The program combined classroom learning, factory exposure, and on-the-job apprenticeships to enhance skills and increase employability.

Training sessions equipped labour inspectors and workers with practical knowledge on OSH standards, risk prevention, and first aid. This ensured a safer work environment and promoted a culture of occupational safety.

The Labour Force Survey is strengthened through updated tools, interviewer training, and pilot testing. The resulting data supports informed decision-making and contributes to national and international labour market analysis in addition to updating the ILOSTAT database.

Technical and actuarial assessments are planned to support inclusive and evidence-based social protection reform, while capacity-building programs are to help institutions design and implement equitable policies aligned with global standards.