ILO’s Ruba Jaradat: We must create decent jobs, not any jobs, for Syrian refugees and host communities

BEIRUT and HELSINKI (ILO News and UN agencies) - The Government of Finland is bringing together key humanitarian and development stakeholders on 23 and 24 January in Helsinki to discuss the response to the protracted crisis in Syria and neighbouring countries, now into its sixth year.

The ILO Regional Director for Arab States Ruba Jaradat will represent the ILO at the Helsinki Conference on Supporting Syrians and the Region. The conference will gather senior representatives of governments in the region, UN agencies, international financial institutions, donors, representatives of international and national non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.

'The international community has realised that a humanitarian response alone is not enough to lift Syrian refugees, as well as communities in refugee-hosting nations, out of situations of fragility and vulnerability,' said Jaradat, who will take part in a high-level panel on Vulnerabilities, Jobs and Economic Opportunities on 24 January.

'It is now clear that alongside the humanitarian approach, we must also adopt a development-based approach, which generates job-rich and inclusive economic growth. Refugees and host communities need jobs - not any jobs, but decent jobs that will build their resilience, restore and improve their livelihoods, and guarantee them a productive and meaningful future,' Jaradat continued.

'Refugees and host communities need decent jobs that will build their resilience and guarantee them a productive and meaningful future.

Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States

The conference will focus on key humanitarian priorities inside Syria, where over 13.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance; strengthening protection for the more than 4.8 million refugees from Syria now in neighbouring countries; and building resilience inside Syria as well as for the more than 4.4 million vulnerable people in neighbouring countries.

The conference will provide an overview on key humanitarian priorities for Syria in 2017, coordinated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). It will also launch the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan for 2017 and 2018, coordinated by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

This video highlights some of the ILO's recent work in supporting Syrian refugees and host communities in Jordan.

In the countries which host the most Syrian refugees globally , the ILO is working in Turkey , Lebanon and Jordan to build the resilience of host communities and refuges by enhancing access to employment opportunities and livelihoods. It is strengthening institutional capacities and coordination to eliminate child labour, and supporting policy development to ensure an employment rich national response to the crisis.

By the end of 2017, the ILO's response to the Syria refugee crisis in these three countries is set to result in 65,000 individuals employed or self-employed (including short-term and long-term employment); 218,000 individuals supported to access employment (through training, internships, job-placement and language courses); and 119,300 individuals supported in social cohesion initiatives (directly or indirectly).

For media requests concerning the ILO's participation in the conference, please contact Salwa Kanaana,[e-mail], [phone]