Workshop in Jordan Focuses on Employment and Social Protection in Crisis-Affected Arab States

ILO Deputy Director-General Celeste Drake highlighted the urgency of collaboration across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts.

An innovative workshop in Amman, Jordan, brought together key stakeholders from the Arab region and beyond to develop strategies for enhancing employment and social protection amidst crisis and fragility. Organized with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the event saw participation from labour ministries, trade unions, the private sector, UN agencies, and humanitarian and development organizations.

The workshop focused on the “humanitarian-development-peace nexus” (HDP Nexus), which emphasizes coordinated efforts among humanitarian, development, and peace actors to address the needs of vulnerable populations, such as women, refugees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs). The aim is to promote sustainable development, build resilience, and foster long-term peace in fragile and conflict-affected areas.

ILO Deputy Director-General Celeste Drake highlighted the urgency of collaboration across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts. She emphasized the role of the ILO's Decent Work Agenda in contributing to peace by addressing underlying causes of fragility, such as unemployment and social protection deficits.

ILO Regional Director for Arab States, Ruba Jaradat, noted the devastating socio-economic impacts of recurrent crises in the region, citing significant increases in unemployment, poverty, and youth disengagement since 2019. She stressed the importance of creating pathways from short-term livelihoods to long-term, inclusive employment as a means of stabilizing societies.

The workshop showcased successful examples of the HDP Nexus in action. Participants discussed ongoing efforts in Iraq, where public works programs are being developed based on past experiences with labour-intensive initiatives. In Jordan, the ILO’s PROSPECTS Programme, funded by the Netherlands, is improving access to employment, education, and social protection for refugees and displaced populations, highlighting the importance of long-term planning for vulnerable communities.

Barbara Manzi, UN Development Cooperation Office Regional Director for Arab States a.i., and Christina Sandberg from the Swedish Embassy in Amman, emphasized the need for greater awareness and capacity-building around the HDP Nexus. They called for more collaboration among stakeholders to help populations transition from vulnerability to self-sufficiency.

The event concluded with practical discussions on how to integrate decent work principles into employment and social protection programs in fragile settings. Key regional examples, such as coordination efforts in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, showcased the impact of aligning humanitarian and development actions to support vulnerable populations during crises.

The workshop marked a significant step in fostering collaboration across sectors to promote employment, social protection, and peace in the Arab region.