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Peace and resilience through decent work

Published in February 2021

Peace and resilience through decent work

The COVID-19 pandemic has added to the vulnerability of states that were already suffering from disaster and conflict.

Even before this global health crisis, many were experiencing high rates of unemployment and poverty, leading to increased risk of social unrest. Factors like these make countries affected by fragility, conflict and disaster less able to prepare for future crises.

Decent work has proven to be the foundation of resilient and peaceful societies. Against the backdrop of COVID-19, it is needed now more than ever.

Explore this InfoStory to learn more.

Construction workers in Mauritania © ILO

A more fragile world

As it stands, 1.6 billion people are in immediate danger of losing their livelihoods due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But prior to the outbreak, nearly 2 billion people across the world were already living with the ongoing fallout of disaster and conflict.

When people live permanently on the edge of crisis – when even one small disaster might push them over the edge – we say they are living in a fragile situation, or under conditions of fragility.

For those already trapped in fragile situations, COVID-19 poses yet another threat to their survival – and in turn makes them less able to address future shocks.

Water collectors in the sand of the dry Fiherenana River in Tulear, Madagascar. © ILO / Marcel Crozet

The vicious cycle of fragility

Historically, the term “fragile” has been used to describe countries or regions affected by war and armed conflict, but today it is most widely used to describe a situation where societal, political, economic, security and environmental factors come together to create ongoing or recurring vulnerability.

Fragile situations are rarely caused by a single event. There are usually pre-existing or emerging instabilities in a fragile society, which are then exacerbated by a major shock or catastrophe, triggering an ongoing series of crises. Crucially, from the perspective of the world of work fragility means that workers and employers can no longer access or provide decent work, which further compounds existing vulnerabilities. Fragility is best understood as a vicious cycle.

The path to resilience

Resilience is the opposite of fragility.

A resilient society can adapt and recover in the face of catastrophes such as disasters, pandemics, economic shocks and conflict. A resilient society is prepared and can mitigate the worst impacts of a crisis and rebuild in ways that support economic and social development. A resilient society will find its way back to peace and stability sooner rather than later.

When disaster or conflict strikes, the international community offers humanitarian aid to minimise loss of human life, in addition to mitigating material, economic and environmental losses. But after a society has been weakened by such events, it is more vulnerable than ever to further shocks and threats. This is why development work cannot be treated as separate from or incidental to humanitarian efforts.

The ILO has 100 years of experience coordinating with governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations and other UN entities to help societies transition from crisis mode into a development phase, supported by a long-term vision and a will to “build back better” in the wake of crisis.

A new path for a community in Myanmar © ILO / Marcel Crozet

The ILO Mandate

Since its origins, the ILO has always understood that social justice and decent work are key to long-lasting peace and stability. In 2017, the ILO equipped itself with an up-to-date international labour standard to guide its constituents in addressing world-of-work issues in crisis contexts.

In a world of multiple crises, where conflict and violence interact with drivers of fragility, accelerating climate change and the increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, Recommendation No. 205 on Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience represents a landmark instrument for dealing with situations that are at the crossroads of humanitarian, peacebuilding, disaster response and development initiatives.

1919

The ILO is founded with the main goal of addressing the social and economic problems that led to the First World War.

1944

In the aftermath of the Second World War, at the 26th Session of the International Labour Conference, the ILO adopts the first international normative instrument on rebuilding livelihoods in the wake of conflict (Recommendation No. 71).

 

 

1969

The ILO receives the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its crucial wartime role and its ongoing work towards the goal of lasting worldwide peace.

2017

The 106th International Labour Conference adopts Recommendation No. 205, Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience, the only international normative framework focusing on the role of employment and decent work for promoting peace, preventing crisis, enabling recovery and building resilience. 

2019

To mark 100 years since its founding, the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work sets out a roadmap for a human-centred future of work, recognizing that decent work is key to sustainable development, addressing income inequality and ending poverty particularly in areas affected by conflict, disaster and other humanitarian emergencies.

An operational approach: Jobs for Peace and Resilience

Guided by Recommendation No. 205, the Jobs for Peace and Resilience flagship programme creates jobs, reinforces skills and promotes private sector and local economic development in the wake of crisis as paths to more peaceful and resilient societies. Its modular, local-based approach focuses on four objectives

Triggers and multipliers

One hundred years since the founding of the ILO, our world is a very different place. As Recommendation No. 205 acknowledges, the new millennium brings unique circumstances and new challenges, many of which contribute to or catalyse fragile situations.

Access more information as well as case studies below:

Workman in Potosí, Bolivia © ILO / Marcel Crozet

The hardest hit

Disaster and conflict do not impact all groups equally. People who are already marginalized – such as women, young people and indigenous and tribal peoples – are hit hardest.

Access more information as well as case studies below:

Ouely José, 18, former member of the Foroches gang, is now self-employed and repairs boats after receiving training at the CFTPS Center in Diego Suarez, Madagascar. © ILO / Marcel Crozet

The newly vulnerable

In addition to their impact on already vulnerable people, disasters and conflict create newly marginalized groups, such as ex-combatants and forcibly displaced people, who often face major barriers when attempting to reintegrate into society.

Access more information as well as case studies below:

Portrait of a refugee living in harsh conditions in the Summit refugee camp in Kenya. © ILO / Marcel Crozet

A future for decent work, a future for peace

Even the most devastating conflict or disaster can yield hope for the future. Societies in a post-crisis environment are often more receptive to change. We see this in discussions that have risen out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ILO believes that with a continued focus on decent work for all, we can aspire to a better tomorrow for everyone. The core of the issue is as clear as it was in 1919: in times of crisis, social justice is the only way to build resilience and lasting peace.

Learn more by clicking on the two links below.

Construction workers in a Jordanian refugee camp. © ILO / Nadia Bseiso

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Factors of fragility

We often think of a crisis as a sudden event: an earthquake, a financial crash, an armed uprising. But other crises – environmental degradation and pandemics, for example – may progress over many months or even years before they reach full-blown crisis status and may not reach that point at all in countries that are sufficiently prepared. 

While some crises may originate externally, others can grow within a country, often due to weak or dysfunctional governance. Typically, external and internal factors exacerbate each other to create an ongoing fragile situation.

How does employment contribute to peace?

How does employment contribute to peace?

The problem

  • Social division, exclusion and mistrust: When different social groups have little contact or interaction it is easy for them to form negative perceptions of each other. If these divisions grow too deep, they can lead to conflict.
  • Lack of economic opportunities: When people have no employment and no chance of finding employment, the opportunity cost for engaging in violence is low. If enough people lack opportunities for decent work, the likelihood of collective violence grows.
  • Grievances concerning injustice, inequality and discrimination: Violent conflicts often arise from grievances around inequality, discrimination, voicelessness, and overall lack of human and labour rights. When an aggrieved group blames others or the state for perceived injustice, grievances may become politicized and risk tipping into violence.

The solution

  • Contact, trust and social cohesion: Employment programmes strengthen social cohesion by bringing people together, creating opportunities for dialogue, and strengthening links between governments, and workers’ and employers’ organizations.
  • Access to livelihoods: Employment, and the income associated with it, increases the opportunity cost of violence. When working age populations have access to decent work opportunities, backed with strong social protection coverage, they are less likely to engage in political and armed violence.
  • Perception of social justice: Inclusive and transparent employment and social protection programmes, which aim to improve equality in livelihood opportunities as well as the quality and rights at work through social dialogue and participatory platforms, can reduce the risk of conflict by addressing individual grievances before they become politicized.

Climate change

Climate change puts pressure on fragile ecosystems and societies. In a world with growing populations, increasing unemployment, widespread poverty and an over-dependence on climate-sensitive natural resources – all in the absence of a robust sustainable development strategy – climate change acts as a “threat multiplier”.

That said, if properly managed, climate change adaptation can lead to more and better jobs and build the resilience of affected communities in the process.

The relocation of Vunidogoloa village

In 2013, the ILO assisted the Government of Fiji with the relocation of Vunidogoloa village. Vunidogoloa was one of dozens of villages in Fiji threatened by rising sea levels due to climate change. Moving an entire village 1km inland was a huge undertaking, but also an opportunity to provide training and temporary work.

The Government engaged 28 unemployed people to build new homes, while the ILO assisted by supplying tools and protective equipment.

The ILO also supplied pineapple tops, banana shoots, and a copra dryer for the villagers at their new location to provide them with livelihood options. The Department of Agriculture supported with advice on crop diversity and planting methods, and by constructing a nursery.

The informal economy

The informal economy accounts for 61% of the global labour force. Most people do not enter the informal economy by choice, but out of necessity – in many fragile situations, there is no other way to earn a living. Informal work is characterised by unsafe conditions, low and irregular wages, long and irregular working hours, a lack of worker representation, and little or no social security coverage. Unsurprisingly, informal workers make up a huge portion of the world’s working poor.

Countries with large informal economies are particularly vulnerable to external shocks and social unrest. Finding paths to formality is a key component for building resilience.

Forging formality for Jordanians and Syrians

With outbreak of armed conflict in Syria in 2011, thousands of refugees began to flee to neighbouring Jordan. This influx placed huge pressure on Jordan’s labour market and informality was exacerbated among both refugees and host communities as a result. The ILO’s Programme of Support in Jordan was able to address the problem by supporting the creation of formal and decent jobs for both Jordanians and Syrian. With ILO’s assistance:

  • 46,000 work permits were issued in agricultural and construction sectors

  • 1,500 Jordanians and Syrians were placed in jobs through 11 employment service centres

  • 165,000 work days were created for Jordanians and Syrians through labour–intensive projects

  • 30 joint business ventures were established between Jordanians and Syrians

  • 8,178 Jordanians and Syrians were tested and certified for 14 construction sector occupations

 

Impact on women

Across the world, many women have limited access to economic resources, including property, finance and land rights. In times of conflict, women frequently become the sole providers and caregivers in their household. Education for girls is often one of the first things to be sacrificed when things are tough and old patriarchal attitudes may re-emerge. Women are also uniquely vulnerable to violence when law and order deteriorate, particularly when mass rape and abductions are used as weapons of war.

More often than not, women are also driving forces for post-conflict and post-disaster recovery. If handled correctly, crises can become opportunities to tackle gender-based discrimination.

Infrastructure for empowerment in Jordan

The Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programmes (EIIP) in Jordan creates employment opportunities for both host communities and Syrian refugees through infrastructure works. This sector typically only employs men, and Jordan has one of the lowest female labour force participation rates in the world. The ILO had to be proactive to ensure women would benefit from the programme, by ensuring that:

  • Contractors had to recruit women to be awarded contracts.

  • Women who had never worked before received comprehensive training.

  • A system was put in place to ensure that women and men were paid equally for the same work.

  • Work days ended in the afternoon so both women and men had time for unpaid care responsibilities.

  • Social Safeguard Officers, both male and female, received training on workplace harassment.

  • Work sites were equipped with separate toilets and rest areas for women and men.

These practical steps led to concrete achievements. Women now make up 10% of these programmes, showing that it is possible to overcome gender stereotypes at work even in more conservative societies.

Impact on women

Across the world, many women have limited access to economic resources, including property, finance and land rights. In times of conflict, women frequently become the sole providers and caregivers in their household. Education for girls is often one of the first things to be sacrificed when things are tough and old patriarchal attitudes may re-emerge. Women are also uniquely vulnerable to violence when law and order deteriorate, particularly when mass rape and abductions are used as weapons of war.

More often than not, women are also driving forces for post-conflict and post-disaster recovery. If handled correctly, crises can become opportunities to tackle gender-based discrimination.

 

Infrastructure for empowerment in Jordan

The Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) in Jordan creates employment opportunities for both host communities and Syrian refugees through infrastructure works. This sector typically only employs men, and Jordan has one of the lowest female labour force participation rates in the world. The ILO had to be proactive to ensure women would benefit from the programme, by ensuring that:

  • Contractors had to recruit women to be awarded contracts.
  • Women who had never worked before received comprehensive training.
  • A system was put in place to ensure that women and men were paid equally for the same work.
  • Work days ended in the afternoon so both women and men had time for unpaid care responsibilities.
  • Social Safeguard Officers, both male and female, received training on workplace harassment.
  • Work sites were equipped with separate toilets and rest areas for women and men.
  • These practical steps led to concrete achievements. Women now make up 10% of these programmes, showing that it is possible to overcome gender stereotypes at work even in more conservative societies.

Impact on young people

More than one-third of people living in fragile situations today are between the ages of 15 and 29. This group are among the hardest hit by disaster and conflict, as they are the least likely to find work. Educational opportunities and social support systems are often disrupted or wiped out in crisis times, pushing young people into a vicious cycle of poverty and social exclusion and making them vulnerable to recruitment into armed forces, militias or gangs.

When young people in fragile situations are supported through employment and training, their energy, creativity, and investment in the future means they are uniquely situated to become agents of peace and resilience.

Linking young engineers with reconstruction efforts in Gaza

Youth face very high unemployment rates in Gaza.  The ILO has supported collaboration between the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG) and the private sector to generate more job opportunities for young engineering graduates.

Through the IUG-Industry and Community Liaison Centre, IUG engineering faculty were able to connect with the private sector, solicit their input on curricula, set up structured apprenticeships, and ease students’ transitions into the world of work through counselling and job matching.

This project benefitted both university students/graduates and the private sector companies tackling the challenges of reconstruction. It also improved the university curricula, matching them more closely to employer needs and allowing students to gain first-hand experience in their fields of expertise.

Impact on indigenous and tribal peoples

The majority of indigenous and tribal peoples live in rural and remote areas. They are often politically, socially and economically marginalized, and excluded from decision-making processes, even in relation to matters that concern them directly – such as the management of natural resources, which is a root cause of armed conflict in many countries.

Indigenous people are the custodians of their lands and play an important role in post-disaster recovery as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. The value of their traditional knowledge and practices is well recognized in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

A path to peace in Guatemala

In 1996, the UN agreed to broker peace negotiations between the warring parties in Guatemala on the condition that any final agreement would meet internationally recognized human rights standards. A top priority of the peace process was to reach agreement on the “Identity and Rights of the Indigenous People of Guatemala”. Since the UN did not have any tool for this, the ILO’s Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169) became critical to the peace process.

This Convention states that indigenous people should participate in the development of policies and programmes concerning their lives and the organisation of their communities. In addition to creating mechanisms for consulting with the indigenous people on the scope and content of the peace agreement, the ratification of Convention 169 by the Government of Guatemala set the groundwork for negotiating peaceful solutions with indigenous communities.

The final signed peace agreement also includes sections on ending discrimination against the indigenous population, providing them with better health care and schools, and creating economic opportunities for the poor, including land reform.

Impact on ex-combatants

Armed conflicts leave behind large numbers of combatants from the army, rebel and paramilitary groups. One of the most urgent tasks in post-conflict situations is the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of these combatants into civilian life. This is vital to ensuring a true and lasting peace. For rebels and regular soldiers alike, peace and demobilisation often mean immediate loss of income and status.

They must rapidly receive assistance to make the transition from military to civilian life, and in particular to find jobs that allow them to earn a decent livelihood and place in their community.

LEEDing the way with livelihoods in Sri Lanka

The ILO’s Jobs for Peace and Resilience programme in Sri Lanka is an ambitious attempt to promote peace and resilience in a post-conflict environment. The backbone of the programme is the Local Empowerment through Economic Development and Reconciliation project (LEED+).

LEED+ creates livelihood opportunities by working with cooperatives and partnering with private sector companies to attract investment and economic engagement. To help female ex-combatants reintegrate, the ILO with the WFP and Puthukkudiyiruppu Women Entrepreneurs’ Cooperative Society implemented “EMPOWER: Building peace through the economic empowerment of women in Northern Sri Lanka”.

The participants were linked with the value chains created under LEED+, ensuring sustainable access to markets and resources. As a result, 1,200 female former combatants and conflict-affected women gained access to services and livelihood opportunities.

Impact on refugees and internally displaced people

People leave their homes because of insecurity and persecution in their communities or to escape disasters. They go to neighbouring states as refugees or elsewhere in their country as internally displaced people.

The journey from home to a host community or country is often dangerous, particularly for women and children. Once they arrive, they may face language barriers, discrimination, administrative and logistical challenges, and as a result they are often unable to find decent work and earn an income.

Building skills in M’bera refugee camp

There are approximately 55,000 Malian refugees in M’bera refugee camp in south-eastern Mauritania. ILO is providing them and their host communities with on-the-job training through labour-intensive public works projects, including construction of roads, schools and vocational training centres.

The programme allows young people in particular to build up their skills while gaining work experience and income. In the second phase, financial education and entrepreneurship training will be introduced. Trainees also learn eco-construction techniques and use local materials, promoting both employment and environmental sustainability.

To date, more than 700 young people from the refugee and host communities have been trained in areas such as masonry, electricity, and plumbing, and 150 construction professionals have been able to upgrade their skills.

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