Study Visit for Knowledge Exchange on Public Works Programmes and Labour-Intensive Investment Approaches in Iraq

The visit organized jointly by the Building Equitable and Inclusive Transformation (BEIT) and PROSPECTS projects aimed to empower national stakeholders to examine practical models of labour-intensive investment programmes and explore how these models could be adapted to Iraq’s development priorities. The agenda covered multiple aspects, beginning with the conceptual framework of the labour-intensive approach, including its principles, objectives, and its role in creating sustainable jobs and stimulating the economy particularly in areas with high levels of poverty and unemployment through practical experiences implemented by government partners.

Participants discussed technical considerations in the design of public works programmes, such as setting objectives, identifying priority sectors, and targeting mechanisms. The sessions also highlighted the core pillars of the approach: context, governance, capacity building, coordination, and sustainability all essential for developing effective and integrated programmes. Special attention was given to decent working conditions, emphasizing the need to incorporate fair wages, social protection, occupational safety and health, and social dialogue throughout all planning and implementation stages.

Discussions also addressed the importance of enhancing governance and institutional coordination through effective partnerships between national and local actors at both the geographical and sectoral levels, as well as the need to establish robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems to ensure the sustainability and impact of these programmes in achieving inclusive development.

The visit also featured a strong practical component, including several field visits to ongoing projects such as the restoration of cultural heritage at Erbil Citadel, afforestation projects at the University of Duhok and Aloka, and irrigation canal rehabilitation. These visits provided participants with first-hand insight into how employment generation can be combined with the improvement of environmental and urban services.

During the study tour the PROSPECTS project presented a showcase of the Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) model implemented in several sectors, with a focus on green works interventions. This model was applied in northern Iraq through close coordination and leadership of local governments. It linked green works and infrastructure improvement with local development, creating more than 155,000 working days. This represents a successful employment generation approach that promotes decent work principles and institutional capacity building. The model is now being considered for upscaling at the national level through the Public Works Programme at both the federal government and Kurdistan Region levels.

The programme concluded with interactive working sessions in which participants developed pilot designs for public works projects focusing on the construction sector, afforestation, the green economy, eco-tourism, and the care economy. The study visit witnessed broad participation from representatives of various Iraqi ministries at the national level, including members of the Technical Committee of the Public Works Programme in Iraq, as well as representatives of ministries, workers’ organizations, and employers’ organizations from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq reflecting a strong national commitment to expanding public works programmes as a strategic tool for achieving decent employment and sustainable development in Iraq.

This initiative forms part of the ILO’s broader commitment to supporting decent work and sustainable development in Iraq through the social solidarity economy, within the framework of two key programmes:

• PROSPECTS Partnership: A global initiative supported by the Government of the Netherlands aimed at improving access to education, social protection, and decent employment for host communities and forcibly displaced persons.
• Building Equitable and Inclusive Transformation (BEIT) an EU-funded initiative is a joint effort by UN-Habitat, the International Labour Organization, and the International Trade Centre. The programme aims to drive economic growth by creating decent job opportunities through advancing Iraq's affordable and sustainable housing initiatives and strengthening the construction sector.