2023 Activities - Enhancing labour governance, inspection and working conditions in Iraq

Youth training on ILO’s career guidance and Know About Business programmes (March 2023)

Around 1,3000 youth from across Basra, Erbil, Duhok and Shaqlawa received trainings in ILO’s career guidance and Know About Business programmes.

The programmes seek to support young women and men in choosing their future professions, develop their job search techniques, as well as improve their understanding of the job market and employment services available to them.

The hand-on workshops introduced job seekers to information related to entering the job market, career targets, communication tools and the various stages of choosing a profession – areas which are critical in helping young job seekers in their transition into decent employment.

In addition, the workshops promoted awareness among young people on the opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurship and self-employment, and of their role in shaping their future and that of their country's economic and social development.

The sessions focused on key ILO tools aimed at supporting career development among youth, namely “How to organize my job search? A step-by-step guide for job seekers and those who support them” and “How to choose my future profession? A step-by-step guide for job seekers,” as well as ILO’s flagship “Know About Business” entrepreneurship education programme.

Trainings in fair recruitment (February 2023)

Farmers, agriculture workers and labour recruiters in Basra and Duhok have been introduced to ILO’s general principles and operational guidelines for fair recruitment, in efforts to promote and ensure fair recruitment in Iraq’s agricultural sector.

A total of 1,060 agriculture workers, farmers and labour recruiters took part in these trainings since the start of this year, aimed at familiarising participants on issues related to relevant international labour standards and global guidance on fair recruitment, strengthen coordination between the different actors, and promote fair business standards and practices to protect workers.

Adnan Maliki, who works at an employment office in Basra, supporting job-seekers to find employment opportunities, attended the training. “We looked at ways to ensure that recruitment is fair, in line with the laws of Iraq.”

Technical meeting on the Iraqi Labour Law (January 2023)

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in collaboration with the ILO, held a two-day technical meeting which focused on opportunities to revise and modernise the Iraqi Labour Law No. 37 of 2015. The event, which took place on 27-28 of January, brought together social partners, including representatives from workers' organizations, the Iraqi Federation of Industries, members of the State Council, and the Iraqi Bar Association.

Participants, including ILO technical specialists, reviewed the draft proposal to amend the law, as prepared by the Ministry and provided input to the development of the law, in accordance with the International Labour Standards.

The proposed amendments focus on several issues, including those related to labour relations, employment and vocational training, Occupational Safety and Health, labour inspection, and the protection of women and youth at work, in addition to the challenges and gaps in the implementation of the law.