Al-Amal Participates in the meeting on “Work Initiative in Iraq”
Al-Amal Participates in the meeting on
“Work Initiative in Iraq”
Iraqi Al-Amal Association participated in a meeting with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on the “The Future of Work Initiative in Iraqi” on 9th May 2016. This event was based on an initiative by the International Labour Organization “Work Future in the Arab World”, which entails that Iraq is to arrange two to three debates annually involving the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Federation of Industries, Federation of Trade Unions and with participation of the civil society organisations (CSOs).
The meeting addresses four issues:
1. Work and society.
2. The provision of decent jobs for everyone.
3. Governance at work.
4. The management of labour and production.
The first two subjects were discussed at the meeting. The third and fourth subjects will be discussed in October this year.
14 people attended the meeting, mostly representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, apart from three representatives of CSOs (Iraqi Al-Amal Association and Al-Ayn Social Care Foundation). The participants included the Senior Undersecretary Dr. Abdul Kareem Al-Janabi and Director General of the Vocational Training Directorate Aziz Ibraheem.
Two research papers were discussed during this meeting:
First Research: ” The impacted of lower oil prices on the future of work” by the researcher Talib Hasan / Director of the Legal Department / Pension and Social Security Directorate. The paper included several items:
a. The Future of work as impacted by lower oil prices.
b. Global terrorism impact on the reality of labour.
c. The impact of the development events by UN after 2014 to combat poverty and inequality.
Second research: “Study of labour and the provision of decent jobs for everyone (concerning Vocational Training and Employment and Loans Directorates) by the researcher Raaed Jabbar / Media and Relations / Employment and Loans and Vocational Training Diretorates.
An indication was made in the second research about the activities which CSOs can participate in:
- Make the Iraqi people aware of the services provided by the Ministry in the employment, training, labour inspection, social security for workers, fighting child labour and industrial services.
- Determine the disadvantaged communities, who cannot reach the registration and training departments in the Ministry.
- Assist the Ministry in obtaining clearer picture of the labour market and thedynamic professions and monitor their growth rates.
- Support the ministry in providing the training requirements to train the beneficiaries of organisations working with the IDP, divorced women, family providers and other categoties, and pay their daily transport fees.
- Report the cases of the worst child labour and street children.
- Report any illegal foreign labour working in the private sector to refer the offenders to the law.
- Implement projects in favor of the CSOs which contribute in supporting labour market and providing jobs.
- Introduce new and open training programs which contribute in building the capacity of job seekers.
- Enable employers and workers’ organizations to represent their interests and participate in drawing up the policies and decisions concerning work.
- Promote and publicise all the Ministry’s activities in employment and training sectors.
- Determine the proper work opportunities which are available in the marketplace which the registered unemployed people can be encouraged to take up.
The meeting ended with affirmation of the necessity for continuous and serious cooperation and coordination among the governmental departments and the organisations.