Strengthening the links between education, decent employment and social protection is essential to expanding opportunities for young people and promoting active citizenship in Iraq, participants at an international conference in Baghdad emphasized.
The two-day conference, held on 10 and 11 November, brought together more than 160 researchers from Iraq and around 22 other countries, alongside government officials, employers' and workers' representatives, academics and international partners. Discussions focused on addressing the gap between education and labour market needs, strengthening workers' rights and ensuring that young people, including women, can access decent employment opportunities.
Held under the theme "Education, Work and Building Active Citizenship: Present Challenges and Future Prospects", the 12th Scientific and 4th International Conference of the Social Studies Department at Bayt al-Hikma was organized in cooperation with the European Union (EU), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Supreme Judicial Council.
The conference was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaydi and the supervision of Naim al-Aboudi, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Bayt al-Hikma. It was supported by the EU-funded ILO programme "Building Equitable and Inclusive Transformation: Towards Decent Work and Affordable Housing in Iraq (BEIT)" and Social Protection Programme for Iraq, both implemented by the ILO.
Connecting education, employment and active citizenship
The opening session brought together senior government officials, parliamentarians, university representatives, trade unions, employers' organizations and civil society representatives.
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Delivering the Government's address on behalf of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Tamim stressed the importance of investing in people and strengthening the relationship between education and productive employment.
"Building nations and strengthening the concepts of citizenship require meeting the demands of knowledge and upholding the principles of work that harnesses people's potential without squandering it. Investment must begin with human capital, which represents the greatest of all resources," Deputy Prime Minister Tamim said.
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Naim al-Aboudi, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Bayt al-Hikma, highlighted Iraq's young population and economic potential, while stressing the need to address mismatches between education outcomes and labour market requirements. He called for a development approach that places knowledge, innovation and investment at the centre of economic and social progress.
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Representing the EU Delegation to Iraq, Chargé d'affaires a.i. Adam Jansen emphasized the importance of connecting education and skills development with decent employment and social protection. He also highlighted the EU-ILO partnership in supporting Iraq's efforts to strengthen public employment programmes, labour governance and social dialogue, improve occupational safety and health, and combat child labour.
Decent work as a foundation for participation and inclusion
In a presentation on the relationship between education, decent work and active citizenship, ILO Country Coordinator in Iraq Ruby al-Salem emphasized that education must be accompanied by access to decent employment, labour rights and social protection if young people are to participate fully in economic and social life.
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"Education builds capabilities, while decent work transforms them into dignity, independence and a voice. An Iraqi young person who has a fair contract, social protection and a seat at the dialogue table does not need to be persuaded to become an active citizen; they already are one," she said.
Al-Salem identified three interconnected challenges affecting young people's transition from education to employment: mismatches between skills and labour market needs, insufficient job opportunities, and gaps in social protection and workers' representation.
She stressed the need for an integrated approach linking relevant skills and training with employment opportunities, enterprise development, social security and rights at work. She also highlighted the additional barriers women face in accessing employment, including care responsibilities, transport constraints and discrimination.
The ILO emphasized the importance of involving employers' and workers' organizations in shaping education and training policies and using research and evidence to inform national employment programmes.
Advancing employment policies through social dialogue
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A dedicated technical session brought together representatives of the Ministry of Planning, the Iraqi Trade Union Council and the Iraqi Industries Union, alongside ILO specialists, to examine policy approaches for expanding decent employment and strengthening social protection.
Discussions addressed the contribution of public employment programmes to inclusive and sustainable development, the importance of vocational training aligned with labour market demand, and the role of social security in protecting workers and supporting more equitable economic participation.
ILO specialists Albert Uriyo and Vaibhav Raaj presented perspectives on public employment programmes and social protection, highlighting their importance in advancing decent work in Iraq.
Across the conference, researchers and experts also examined the impact of technological transformation on skills and employment, women's economic participation, equal opportunities, workers' legal protections and efforts to combat child labour. The exchange of international research and experiences provided opportunities to consider approaches relevant to Iraq's evolving labour market and development priorities.
The conference concluded with an emphasis on the importance of translating research and dialogue into policies and practical approaches that strengthen the links between education and employment.
