www.ilo.org/projects-and-partnerships/projects/employment-impact-assessment-maximize-job-creation-africa-strengthen2">STRENGTHEN2 project, in collaboration with the Malawi Ministry of Labour, hosted an awareness-raising event in Lilongwe, Malawi. The event aimed to highlight the importance of Employment Impact Assessment (EmpIA) as a tool to support the creation of more and better jobs, targeting key stakeholders and decision-makers in the public sector.
Participants are from various ministries, social partners and academics, such as the Ministry of Labour, the National Statistics Office, the National Planning Commission, the Department of Economic Planning and Development and UN Resident Coordinator's Office. Additionally, representatives from workers' and employers' organizations were present.
© STRENGTHEN2/ILO
The event featured a keynote address by the Minister, who delivered a passionate speech emphasizing the importance of EmpIA and the need for its institutionalization in Malawi. The Minister reiterated the commitment of the government to integrate EmpIA into national structures, highlighting the significance of the initiative.
The event's objectives were to provide an overview of economy-wide impact assessment tools, to demonstrate how EmpIA is being applied in the STRENGTHEN2 project, and to showcase how these methodologies can evaluate employment impacts for other national investment projects. Participants also discussed ways to institutionalize EmpIA in Malawi to better monitor and evaluate job creation.
The EU Ambassador was also in attendance and expressed strong support for these efforts, commending the progress made thus far. Throughout the event, the connection of this initiative to the General Assembly (GA) was stressed multiple times by several speakers, including the Minister, ensuring that its alignment with broader national objectives was clear.
The Ministry of Labour (MoL) expressed a strong willingness to advance the institutionalization of EmpIA. Discussions regarding further support were held, focusing on several key areas. These included the provision of technical advice and mentorship on the assignments to be distributed at the conclusion of the training. Additionally, plans were made to reconvene the trainees for a future session to present their results and share their experiences, fostering a collaborative learning environment.
The event was attended by approximately 70 participants, representing various stakeholders. The UN Resident Coordinator's Office (UNRCO) participated in the Monday event, demonstrating their support for the initiative. The awareness raising event was followed by a 4-day technical workshop for technical specialist from ministries departments and agencies of the government in Salima, Malawi.
