Jobs and livelihoods, enhancing resilience: A means to address root causes of protracted crises

When a storm destroys your community. When conflict forces you to flee. When drought takes your harvest. What comes next?

For millions across Africa, the path from crisis to recovery should begin with one thing: a people-centred response that puts decent work at the heart of peace building and resilience.

With productive, quality jobs, people can withstand shocks, support their families, and help rebuild peaceful, cohesive societies.

Through the ILO's Employment Intensive Investment Programme, we rebuild with people at the centre.

Nhlanhla Hadebe: "Since we have learned so much from this work we are now able to do this work ourselves, here in the land of our grandfathers."

Labour based methods create jobs today, develop skills for tomorrow, and deliver vital infrastructure and services, laying foundations for lasting recovery and prevention of future crises.

Phumza Khohliso: "At first this looked difficult, but we have learned and grown from strength to strength."

They give young people a future at home, reduce tensions in fragile areas, and strengthen social cohesion, while opening access to social protection, skills training and opportunities for women, youth and displaced people.

Thembani Mkwanazi: "It helped me rebuild my life after I was trained on the job."

Nokulunga Mfigwana: "This is not a field only for men. It’s also a field for young women also."

So how do investments in decent work go beyond creating jobs? How do they foster resilience, strengthen communities, and build bridges to lasting peace and opportunity?

At the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, we’ll explore the answers, showing how decent work and social justice can help Africa not only recover from crises, but thrive beyond them.

Sbusiso Kumalo: "I will be able to use the skills I received here to provide for myself and my family."

Building resilience starts here. With people, with decent work, with a future worth staying for.