Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States explore Employment Impact Assessments

JOHANNESBURG (ILO News) - In a 5-day workshop (23–27 June 2025 in Johannesburg) officials from Member States of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) explored the ins-and-outs of Employment Impact Assessments. The event was co-organized by the SADC Secretariat and the International Labour Organization (ILO) and brought together senior officials from ministries of finance, economic planning, trade, industry, employment and labour, along with social partners.

© Nyasha Muchichwa / ILO

Officials initially gained an overview of the topic by discussing the overall purposes, the main methodologies, examples of applications, and the institutionalization of Employment Impact Assessments within SADC member states. Subsequently, they explored the details and practical application of the main methodology, equipping them to undertake independent assessments themselves.

Set against a landscape of modest GDP growth, critical infrastructure gaps and youth unemployment peaking at 36.9 per cent, the workshop reinforced Member States’ technical capacity to embed EmpIAs within policy architectures—thereby underpinning data-driven, inclusive job-creation strategies across the SADC region. The workshop is also set against the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015–2063 and was run by ILO experts from the STRENGTHEN2 project, a joint initiative of the ILO and the European Union. It was also financially supported by Swedish development agency SIDA as part of the ILO project on Decent Work in the Construction Sector in Southern Africa. 

© Ralf Krueger / ILO

More information on ILO’s work on Employment Impact Assessments can be fund at: www.ilo.org/strengthen2