Laying the Economic Foundations for Peace-building and State-building
The ILO works with the g7+ group to promote Decent Work in 20 conflict-affected countries.
Fragile states, which are or have been affected by conflict(s), have become a central concern for the international community. In many countries conflict and violence are the most important obstacles towards internationally agreed development goals and deprive citizens of income-generating opportunities and socio-economic progress.
In recognition of these challenges, the group of self-defined fragile states, the g7+* , advocates for reforming ways in which the international community currently engages in fragile countries. As part of the wider peace-building and state-building paradigm of the ‘New Deal for engagement in Fragile States’, the g7+ have reinvigorated the importance of ‘Laying the economic foundations to generate employment and improve livelihoods’.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has consolidated support for the g7+ and in March 2014 was the first United Nations agency to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the g7+ Secretariat. Together the ILO and the g7+ focus on three broad areas of cooperation:
job creation in fragile states
skills development
the establishment of social protection and social safety nets
*The g7+ is a voluntary association of 20 conflict-affected countries in transition to a further stage of development.
