SOLIFEM Regional capacity building and experience sharing workshop on social dialogue for formalization
Farah Abdallah
The regional International Labour Organization (ILO) project Social Dialogue for Formalization and Employability in the Southern Neighbourhood (SOLIFEM), cofounded by the European Union and the ILO, aims to support the transition from the informal to the formal economy through social dialogue in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). This objective is being pursued by strengthening the capacity of ILO Constituents to act through social dialogue on two fronts:
Development of integrated strategies on formalization in line with ILO Recommendation 204 on transitioning from the informal to the formal economy (Outcome 1).
Strengthening of skills and recognition systems to enable young people and women to access formal employment (Outcome 2).
The project is supporting a set of interventions to promote formalization and boost skills and employability for youth and women. The interventions include diagnostic studies, capacity-building, awareness-raising, policy development, and knowledge-sharing. The interventions take place at both the national and regional levels. At the national level, the project generates knowledge, shares expertise, tests innovative practices, and strengthens policy dialogue and coordination. At the regional level, the project promotes knowledge-sharing and social dialogue between the participating countries.
In line with the above and under SOLIFEM’s Output 1.2 “Social dialogue institutions or mechanisms at national and regional levels are stronger and better equipped to address the risks of informality and foster transition to the formal economy” SOLIFEM, with the support of the International Training Centre (ITC-ILO) in Turin, implemented this capacity building and experience-sharing workshop on social dialogue for formalization gathering ILO tripartite constituents from the four focus countries/territory mentioned above.
OBJECTIVES
The workshop aimed at strengthening the ILO constituents’ capacity on social dialogue for formalization drawing on the lessons learnt from international experience. It also served as a platform to showcase the emerging practices from the region (including through SOLIFEM’s activities) and foster in-depth exchanges among the participating countries on formalization challenges and opportunities. The knowledge gained and shared during this workshop will contribute to a better identification of priorities to be included in the national strategies/roadmaps to be developed by the four focus countries/territory in the coming months.
CONTENT
The workshop touched upon the following topics:
Definition of informality based on the latest ICLS and introduction to R204 and integrated approaches to formalisation.
Informality in the Region: common characteristics and challenges (key takeaways from SOLIFEM focus countries Diagnostic Studies).
Social dialogue (bipartite and tripartite) and collective bargaining for formalization.
Strengthened workers’ contribution to formalization efforts.
Workers formalization through skills development and recognizance of prior learning.
Social dialogue and policy making in the area of skills and employability.
Extension of social protection coverage to informal workers.
Extending social protection to micro and small enterprises.
Enterprise formalization: incentives and simplified registration.
Legal reforms on formalization of enterprises in the region.
Formalization strategies and the role of employers’ organizations.
Formalization of women workers and entrepreneurs.
Formulation and adoption of integrated policy frameworks at national level.
Roadmaps and way forward for the elaboration and implementation of national formalization strategies.