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Employment through Labour Intensive Infrastructure in Jordan - Cluster evaluation

eval_number:

3005

eval_url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/eval/3005

lessons_learned:

themes:

theme:

Programme sustainability

category:

Organizational issues

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comments:

The users targeted by this lesson are the key stakeholders, the donor, actual and potential partners and the government. But the ultimate beneficiaries are the workers on projects, those using the improved assets and those who benefit from a pro-employment development approach in the long term.

challenges:

A challenge is that the key stakeholders (notably the donor, the governments and other actual or potential partners) do not perceive the rounded benefits of the Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme approach to be of sufficient added value in comparison with other CfW approaches. Another challenge is that Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme offers short-term employment only and not a longer term livelihood improvement. To counter these challenges, it is essential to: (a) ensure that there is sufficient sustainable added value from the improved assets, and (b) develop links within the ILO and other partners whose focus is longer term livelihood improvement.

success:

A conscientious shift away from CfW into more asset creation aligned to the Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme model would have significant benefits and support government priorities as well as support the ILO’s comparative advantage. When combined with longer timeframes, there is also a higher chance of key results being achieved and sustained.

context:

Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programmes will always be less “efficient” if the sole objective is to be cost-effective in delivering cash to target groups with no consideration of whether the work is productive. It is important that the key stakeholders (the donor, the governments and actual and potential partners)

description:

To promote longer term sustainability, there is a need to move way from CfW type approaches to adopt a mix of short-term assistance along with longer-term employment efforts aimed at promoting infrastructure enhancements and asset creation. A key lesson arising from the comparison of projects and activities between phases is the importance of differentiating between the Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme approach (which combines the multiple objectives, short term employment, public asset improvement and potential for making a sustainable contribution to pro-employment development) and other cash for work (CfW) approaches.

administrative_issues:

The ILO need to continue engagement with both the government and donors to shift the thinking and approach. Resourcing may need to change dependent on the type of work being implemented as a result of the shift away from CfW.

url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/lessons/240131

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location:

country:

Jordan

region:

Arab States

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eval_title:

Employment through Labour Intensive Infrastructure in Jordan - Cluster evaluation