Southern African Developing Communities and ILO Partner to build regional capacity on Employment Impact Assessments

Johannesburg, South Africa - In a significant step toward addressing employment challenges in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the SADC Secretariat convened a high-level technical training workshop on Employment Impact Assessments (EmpIAs) in Johannesburg. The capacity building workshop, which ran from 23 to 27 June 2025, marks a direct response to the March 2024 decision by SADC Ministers of Employment and Labour, who requested enhanced technical support from the ILO to help Member States better integrate employment considerations into policy planning and implementation.

Bringing together senior officials from economic planning, labour and public works ministries/departments across the 16 SADC Member States, the workshop aimed to equip participants with the tools and knowledge to assess and maximize employment outcomes of public policies and investments. As unemployment—particularly among youth and women—remains persistently high across the region, EmpIA offers a concrete and evidence-based method to align economic strategies with inclusive job creation.

EmpIA is a methodology used to forecast and evaluate the employment effects of policies, programmes, and investments before and after implementation. Its integration into policy-making processes allows governments to optimize job creation and improve labour market outcomes. During the five-day workshop, participants engaged in an intensive programme combining lectures, real-world case studies, data analysis, and group exercises. They examined tools such as input-output models and social accounting matrices, while also learning from country experiences in Malawi, Namibia, and Zambia—pioneers in incorporating EmpIA into national frameworks.

A special focus was placed on promoting gender-sensitive employment strategies and targeting vulnerable populations. Participants explored how EmpIA can be instrumental in promoting youth employment and identifying sectors with high job-generation potential.

The successful delivery of the workshop was made possible with the support of the Decent Work in Construction Project, which played a pivotal role in facilitating the event. The Project, which is implemented by the ILO with the aim of promoting decent work and labour productivity in the construction sector, contributed technical and logistical resources.

The ILO’s Employment Investment (EMPINVEST) branch provided technical expertise for the workshop, while the ILO Pretoria Office managed overall coordination. The event also reinforced the ILO’s commitment to supporting pro-employment policy reforms across SADC through continued technical assistance, regional cooperation, and initiatives like the Decent Work in Construction Project.

As the region strives to achieve inclusive, sustainable development, the institutionalization of EmpIA could become a transformative tool for turning economic growth into real opportunities for decent work. By fostering a shared regional approach and bolstering national capacity, the ILO and SADC are jointly advancing a vision of a prosperous, employment-rich future for Southern Africa.