Promoting social dialogue and strengthening labour governance in Tunisia - 3rd phase

For decades, Tunisia has suffered from a lack of social tripartite dialogue. The government elaborated economic and social development plans without real and effective coordination with the social partners (workers and employers). This unilateral approach to policy-making failed to deliver effective reforms and, thus, to reduce the high level of unemployment. In addition to this, the middle class crumbled due to the unfair distribution of the fruits of growth. The gap between regions, especially between the coastal ones and the interior ones, became wider and wider. These problems were the main causes that triggered the revolution of 2011. Tunisians have claimed their rights to decent work, to dignity and to democracy. To break with the ancient system and with autocracy, a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) was elected in order to elaborate a new constitution. The elaboration of the new constitution has registered some delay. Meanwhile, the Tunisian Government, UGTT (workers’ organization) and UTICA (employers’ organization) have engaged in social dialogue. Social dialogue is one of the foundations of a democratic society that values and supports citizen participation in public decision-making. Well-organized and effective social dialogue can help to ease tensions and advance social peace as well as to consolidate industrial relations, hence contributing to the recovery of the Tunisian national economy. On January 14th 2013, the Tunisian government and the social partners (UGTT and UTICA) signed the Social Contract, a tripartite roadmap for the implementation of major structural reforms and the creation of the National Council for Social Dialogue (NCSD). The social partners aim, through the institutionalization of social dialogue (i.e. Axis 5 of the Social Contract), to guarantee an efficient and continuous tripartite social dialogue. The NCSD will benefit from financial and administrative autonomy and its composition will be tripartite, with equal representation of government, workers’, and employers’ representatives. The project will continue to provide support to the Tunisian Government and the social partners in order to establish a peaceful and sustainable social climate through effective and fruitful social dialogue. The strategy of the project is to consolidate the realizations and the achievements of the two first phases, to facilitate implementation of the action plan of the Social Contract, adopted at the end of the national tripartite conference held on November 11st and 12nd 2016 - especially the fifth axis related to the institutionalization of social dialogue through the creation of the NCSD and the third axis concerning the industrial relations and decent work. This strategy is in line with the framework of the recommendations and the results of the 2016 national tripartite conference. The Chief of Government paid tribute to ILO and to the Norwegian Government for their support to the Social Contract’s process from its elaboration to the realization of its axes. Moreover, the strategy of the project is to support the Government in setting up the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP). The project will continue to accompany and support the technical commissions of the Social Contract, notably those relating to (i) institutionalization of social dialogue and (ii) industrial relations and decent work.

Project symbol

TUN/16/07/NOR

Admin unit

CO-Algiers

Start date

20/05/2017

End date

31/07/2019

Total allocation

729205

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

651819

Development Partners

Norway, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Country/Countries

Tunisia

Outcomes

Outcome 8: Comprehensive and sustainable social protection for all