Result achieved
A new or revised policy or strategy to extend coverage, enhance comprehensiveness and/or increase adequacy of benefits has been adopted (Step 1)
Number of countries that have adopted new or revised policies and strategies to extend coverage, enhance comprehensiveness and/or increase adequacy of benefits (Step 1)
31.12.2021 IRQ180 Public 2020-21 | 8.1.1
Linked projects
Outcome summary
Iraq has fullfilled the national process for ratifying C102Outcome achieved
With the publication of Law No. 3 of 2021 in the Official Gazette of Iraq in 2021, Iraq has fulfilled the national process for the ratification of C102. With the ratification of C102, ensuring compliance with its normative framework has now become a legal obligation. At Federal level, a new draft Social Security Law is in the process of enactment. It has been approved by the General Secretariat of the Shura Council and has subsequently been submitted to the Parliament for final deliberations. This draft Law aims to replace the Social Security Law No. 39 of 1971 and bring in several changes that would make the Iraqi social security legislation closer to meeting the minimum requirements of International Labour Standards. Key improvements include: extending coverage to the informal economy workers with the potential of reaching 3 more million and their families, and also introducing new short-term benefits (maternity and unemployment). Through national constituents’ consultations, amendments have been made in the draft to achieve a broader support and consensus on key issues so the draft will reflect different views of workers and employers, while maintaining long-term sustainability and intergenerational equity.ILO's contribution to the outcome
Building on the actuarial technical note and a legal assessment developed in 2020, the ILO has stepped up its advocacy and engagement to ensure that key recommendations will be reflected in the draft to ensure long-term sustainability, consistency with other legal instruments, and alignment with ILO standards and best practices. A series of bilateral meetings with the government and social partners were organized between February and June 2021. This was followed by a first tripartite workshop with social partners, the Iraqi Government, and Parliamentarians. The ILO compiled a set of agreed amendments to the law and shared with partners. In addition, the ILO organized 3 technical workshops with MPs in the labour committee and the technical advisors of different Parliament committees to ensure that the consensus reached in the tripartite meeting is included in the draft law. Upon completion of these technical workshops, the ILO convened two more tripartite workshops to review the draft law with the amendments made. The ILO maintains an open channel of communication with the Parliament and with national constituents at this critical stage of the enactment of the law. An EU-funded project,which started in the first quarter of 2021, is an opportunity to have a holistic view of the social security extension agenda. The project aims at supporting the Government of Iraq to catalyse more effective social protection response in the short-term and to support Iraq to accelerate social protection reform in the medium- and longer-term. Parallel to enactment of the Laws, the ILO is accelerating support to the capacity building to ensure the delivery system is able to extend coverage effectively. In addition to support to the federal level, the ILO convened a tripartite workshop on the Social Security reform in KRI and completed a legal assessment of the draft Law.Gender equality & non-discrimination
Participation of women in the labour market is very low (11.76 percent in comparison to male labour participation at 74 percent). Further, even women who participate in the labour market face a higher risk of unemployment, especially among young Iraqi women (unemployment rate for those aged 15-24 is 22 percent and 66 percent for male and female labour force participants, respectively). Women are over represented in the informal economy (women represent 45% of those working in the informal economy) and thus currently coverage rates of women in the Pension and Social Security Fund are low. The fact that the new draft law extends coverage to the informal economy workers is a significant step forward towards gender equality.Partnerships
Government of Iraq, EU, UNICEF, WFP, Parliament, Representatives of workers and employersSDG
Goals
- End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Targets
- 1.3 Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable
- 1.1 By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day