SOLIFEM regional workshop enhances capacity for formalization

ILO Constituents from the Southern Neighbourhood region gathered in Turin to share experiences and strengthen social dialogue.

Turin, Italy— The ILO project "Social Dialogue for Formalization and Employability in the Southern Neighbourhood" (SOLIFEM), co-funded by the European Union, organized a regional capacity-building workshop on "International experiences and emerging good practices in the region on social dialogue for formalization" from 26 to 29 August, 2024. The workshop, organized in partnership with and held at the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) in Turin, Italy, gathered key stakeholders from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), Jordan and Morocco.
The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of ILO constituents from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) to support transition from the informal to the formal economy. It focused on enhancing social dialogue for formalization, drawing on international experiences and highlighting emerging regional practices, including those developed through SOLIFEM’s initiatives. It also provided the opportunity to share the SOLIFEM experiences with two other countries from the Southern Neighbourhood Region, i.e. Jordan and Morocco.
Over four days, the workshop engaged 23 participants from the SOLIFEM partners in addition to Jordan and Morocco, including government officials and representatives from employers' and workers' organizations. Participants explored five critical themes: tripartite and bipartite social dialogue and collective bargaining for formalization, workers’ formalization through skills development, the extension of social protection coverage, enterprise formalization, and formalization strategies.
The workshop used interactive methods, including group work, panel discussions, and case studies, to foster in-depth exchanges and collaboration among participants. Facilitated by ITCILO specialists and ILO officials, the sessions provided a platform for sharing experiences, discussing challenges, and identifying opportunities for formalization. 
Next Steps
The insights gained from the workshop are expected to guide the development of formalisation strategies in the coming months, advancing decent work and employability for youth and women across the Southern Neighbourhood region. They also contribute to the reflection on a future perspectives of SOLIFEM.
The SOLIFEM project continues to support these efforts by promoting knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and policy development initiatives aimed at facilitating the transition to the formal economy and fostering a more inclusive and sustainable labor market in the region.
 

The insights gained from the workshop are expected to guide the development of formalisation strategies in the coming months, advancing decent work and employability for youth and women across the Southern Neighbourhood region. They also contribute to the reflection on a future perspectives of SOLIFEM.
The SOLIFEM project continues to support these efforts by promoting knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and policy development initiatives aimed at facilitating the transition to the formal economy and fostering a more inclusive and sustainable labor market in the region.
 

SOLIFEM is a regional ILO project co-funded by the European Union which aims to support the transition from the informal to the formal economy through social dialogue in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).