ILO Brief

Towards extending social security among informal workers in Federal Iraq: A focus on agricultural, construction and manufacturing sectors

This brief synthesizes research on the extension of social security coverage to informal workers in agriculture, construction, and manufacturing sectors in Federal Iraq. It highlights the urgent need to address legal, financial, and administrative barriers that leave the majority of workers in these sectors without protection, despite the adoption of the 2023 Retirement and Social Security Law for Workers in the Private Sector. The brief is structured around three main points: first, it examines sector-specific and cross-cutting obstacles to enrolment in social security, including low awareness, affordability issues, and weak compliance; second, it outlines targeted policy, legal, and institutional measures to overcome these barriers; and third, it proposes a roadmap for expanding coverage, fostering formalization, and safeguarding livelihoods in Iraq’s largest private sector industries.