Developing the capacity of employers organizations in the Arab Region to contribute to job rich growth through effective policy and social dialogue

The overall approach to the project is to: 1) Provide participating national employers and business organizations (Hereafter “Chambers”) with a clear understanding of their basic roles and responsibilities in an emerging and new context; 2) Capacitate these organizations with the ability to develop pro-active national policy agendas, to create employment through enterprise policies, and to equip them with the capacity to engage in effective policy and social dialogue. A “Chamber Literacy” programme is the main component of the first objective. This will outline the basic roles and expectations of Chambers in the emerging dispensation, and provide Chambers with a clear understanding of what kind of organizations will be necessary in the emerging situation in the region. Also, provide them with the tools to achieve it. Independent assessments will be carried out of all participating chambers. These assessments will include a review of Chambers’ current operational capacity in terms of meeting the needs of business in an evolving situation and also the external environment these organizations are operating in. Reports will be developed in each country to assist in change management processes. The second component is the policy part. To achieve the second objective, to contribute, via the development of a sound policy dialogue between Chambers and governments and based on firm empirical evidence, to employment and enterprise growth, a series of national Enabling Environment for Sustainable Enterprises and Employment reports (Hereafter “EESEE”) will be commissioned. These reports will assess and analyze the key current binding constraints on enterprise and employment growth. These EESEE reports will then form the basis for capacity building efforts which will take place both nationally and regionally with Chambers. The project will comprehensively build the capacity of participating Chambers to research and assess the policy environment, develop concrete proposals and formulate and run an advocacy strategy. The project will allow space for each participating organization to shape its activities in line with specific priorities. Additionally the project will seek to build further on existing capacity building work based on Outcome 9 in the region. The duration of the project is 18 months expected to start as of 1st of June 2012 with a budget of $750,000.

Project symbol

RAB/12/50/NOR

Admin unit

RO-Arab States/DWT-Beirut

Start date

01/06/2012

End date

29/02/2016

Total allocation

1110000

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

1059056

Development Partners

Norway, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Country/Countries

Arab States - regional

Outcomes

Strong and representative employers' and workers' organizations