The ILO and UNDP field and HQ specialists prepare inter-agency field consultation on addressing operational challenges of the UN System-wide policy on employment. (Cairo, 1-2 August)

On 1 and 2 August, 15 experts from the ILO and UNDP gathered in Cairo to discuss operational challenges to post-conflict employment creation. The Regional Office and Sub-regional Office for Africa provided logistical support.

Prior to this meeting, the UN Secretary-General instructed the ILO and UNDP to co-lead an inter-agency task force to draft a UN System-wide Policy Paper on post-conflict employment creation, income generation and reintegration. The overall task force consists of 17 group members; ADB, ESCWA, FAO, ILO, IMF, OHCHR, PBSO, SRSGCAC, UNCDF, DESA, UNDP, DPA, DPKO, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIFEM, and WB.

Taking the lead in the task force group, the ILO and UNDP are now in the process of formulating the Operational Guidance Note to guide practitioners to translate the policy stipulated in the Policy Paper. The ILO and UNDP field-based experts were called upon to help sharing the Policy Paper and making the Operational Guidance Note in line with realities on the ground.

The two day meeting gathered concrete suggestions on how to prepare a draft harnessing both the policy concepts and field realities. The inputs from the ILO and UNDP experts are now being incorporated in the Operational Guidance Note.

A draft Operational Guidance Note will be shared with other task force group members at the end of October 2007.

Photograph from the meeting