Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Lebanon (Ratification: 1977)

The Committee notes the observations from the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL), received on 24 August 2023. The Government is requested to provide its comments to those observations.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s indications that the status of the National Employment Office (NEO) has deteriorated since 2019 due to several factors: the Director General position was vacant from May 2019 to September 2020; there was a significant financial decline due to the collapse of the Lebanese pound; employees were unable to report to the office daily because of the increased cost of transportation; and frequent power outages rendered computers and telecommunications equipment inoperative. Despite these challenges, the Government has adopted or planned various measures. Regarding data compilation and dissemination, the Government reports that the Central Administration of Statistics (CAS) conducted the Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey (LFHLCS) 2018–19 in cooperation with the European Union Delegation and the ILO Office. The Government also highlights the Follow-up Labour Force Survey of January 2022, which provides a crucial starting point for developing employment policy. The Government indicates that the “Regional High-Level Meeting on Young People’s Learning, Skilling and Transition to Decent Work,” held in Amman in May 2022, resulted in a commitment to cooperate with the ILO in developing national employment policy and implementing the Ministry of Labour Tripartite Plan 2022–25. This plan aims to improve job and employment opportunities through digital governance of services and enhancing the quality of training. Approved by the Council of Ministers on 12 May 2022 (Decision No. 23), the plan includes the activation of the “First Job for Youth” program.

Additionally, the Government refers to the “2022–24 National Youth Policy Action Plan (NYPAP),” adopted by the Council of Ministers on 12 May 2022, which aims to develop the capabilities of young men and women in Lebanon. The NYPAP includes 20 priority recommendations, planned through 179 interventions, aligned with the National Youth Policy’s five priority sectors: demographic characteristics and migration; labour and economic participation; social integration and political participation; education and culture; and health and young people. The Government indicates that since early 2023, the NEO has collaborated with some non-governmental associations to organize accelerated vocational training programs.

In its observations, the CGTL contends that the weak monitoring and labour inspection mechanisms, for reasons related to understaffing of the bodies concerned with monitoring, have allowed some employers to get away with violating labour obligations, although statistics in Lebanon on this matter are not sufficiently accurate. The CGTL further states that the Labour Code does not cover domestic workers and agricultural workers and contends that the Labour Code should be amended to include all workers and that minimum allowances should be established to cover all workers in all sectors.

The Committee notes that the country is facing high unemployment rates, worsened by economic crises and the influx of Syrian refugees. Also, a large portion of the workforce is engaged in the informal employment, lacking social protection and job security. Economic instability, marked by currency devaluation, inflation, and wage loss, deepens insecurity and inequality. Additionally, a skills mismatch hampers productivity, while poor working conditions affect those in low-skilled sectors. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has further impacted jobs and working hours. The Committee notes that the ILO and the Government are implementing several employment-focused projects in Lebanon to promote decent work and sustainable development. The Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme (EIIP), funded by Germany’s KfW Development Bank, provides job opportunities for Lebanese and Syrian refugees through sustainable infrastructure projects and green initiatives. The Youth NEET Employment and Training initiative offers vocational training, entrepreneurship support, and job placement for young people not in education or work. Additionally, the BOUZOUR Project supports inclusive markets and decent work to improve job opportunities and living conditions for Syrian refugees and Lebanese host communities. The Committee also notes that, according to the World Bank more than half the population likely below the poverty line and unemployment rising from 11.4 per cent in 2018–19 to 29.6 per cent in 2022. In view of the above, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated and detailed information, following the completion of the Follow Up Labour force Survey in 2022, on the measures adopted or envisaged to establish an active employment policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. The Committee requests the Government to also provide detailed information on the implementation of the “Ministry of Labour Tripartite Plan 2022–25” and the “2022–24 National Youth Policy Action Plan”. The Government is requested to provide information, including disaggregated statistical data on the situation and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment, particularly with regard to women and young workers. The Government is also requested to report on progress made with respect to the compilation and dissemination of labour market data, and to indicate how the collected data is taken into consideration in the formulation and implementation of the employment policy.

Promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Government refers to the Productive Sector Development Programme (PSDP), funded by the Government of Canada, whose objective is to create gender-responsive jobs and economic opportunities in the agriculture and agri-food sectors, prioritising women in the most disadvantaged areas of Lebanon. The Government indicates that the ILO has been implementing a series of business development, entrepreneurship skills and training for existing and newly created micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), prioritising women and youth start-ups in priority value chains (fruits, vegetables and nuts). The Government points out that the ILO has conducted a progressive training cycle, starting with 218 women-led and men-led MSMEs and entrepreneurs who received a training entitled “Women Do Business”, followed by an advanced “business resilience” workshop that benefited 250 entrepreneurs. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing updated information on the effectiveness of measures and programmes implemented in support of SMEs and their impact in improving the SME business environment, enhancing workers’ skills and creating decent jobs. It also requests the Government to continue to provide information on measures taken to promote youth entrepreneurship and create new small and microenterprises.

The Committee wishes in this regard to draw the Government’s attention to ILO Recommendation on Job Creation in Medium and Small Enterprises (No. 189), 1998, ILO Recommendation No. 189 (R189) which is crucial for Lebanon as job creation in SMEs is vital for economic recovery and growth. SMEs drive economic diversification, reduce dependency on larger sectors, and are significant job creators, providing employment opportunities for youth and women. Based on this Recommendation, promoting SMEs helps achieve inclusive development by integrating marginalized groups into the economy, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, and contributing to social stability. Additionally, SME development involves capacity building and skills enhancement, boosting workforce productivity and competitiveness. The Committee therefore considers that implementing Recommendation No.189 would support Lebanon’s efforts to create a more dynamic, resilient, and inclusive labour market.

Employment promotion through technical vocational education and training (TVET) for young persons. The Government indicates that the National Centre for Vocational Training (NCVT) consistently encourages young people to attend training courses, without distinction based on gender or age. It notes that demand for vocational specializations is higher among males (about 80 per cent), while women show more interest in computing and beauty-related specializations. The Committee highlights the need for measures to address gender-based occupational segregation. The Government reports that the Ministry of Labour conducts accelerated vocational training across the country in sectors such as agri-food, solar power installation and maintenance, and smartphone maintenance. These efforts aim to upgrade the skills of Lebanon’s labour force in cooperation with non-governmental associations and institutions. The Government refers to the Joint ILO-UNICEF Programme “Towards Improved Formal and Non-Formal Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Lebanon,” and the ILO project “Improved Access to Employment Opportunities for Lebanese and Refugee Graduates from Skills Training,” funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.

Additionally, the Ministry has participated in several activities, including: training on the Labour Code and developing the “My Right at Work” application; establishing the “Code of Conduct for Employers Implementing Workplace-Based Learning Programmes”; participating in the development of the National Strategic Framework for Technical Vocational Training and Education and its roadmap (2018–22); engaging in consultations to prepare the report on developing and updating quality assurance standards for vocational education and training; setting up a referral network for training and post-training support services for skills training graduates. In its observations, the CGTL contends that competition between Lebanese and foreign workers remains strong and believes that the Government should align market needs with vocational education plans and with the NEO to adopt an action plan manifested through an app or a digital platform for the recruitment of young men and women. The Committee requests the Government to provide –in addition to the description of the programmes– updated information, including statistical information disaggregated by sex and age, on the impact of the training programmes implemented on securing full, productive, freely chosen and lasting sustainable employment. The Committee reiterates its requests to the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to address gender-based occupational segregation, particularly in education and training programmes aimed at promoting youth employment. The Committee further reiterates its requests to the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to ensure that technical vocational education and training curricula and programmes are coordinated with existing and anticipated employment opportunities, to meet the current and evolving needs of the labour market.

Migrant workers. The Government indicates that the Ministry of Labour has not approached recent successive governments with an offer to formulate a draft law regulating decent work for domestic workers in accordance with the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), primarily because a new draft Labour Code has already been drafted. The Government explains that a copy of the new draft Code was sent to the Cabinet of Ministers on 11 April 2022, following several consultative meetings between employers and workers with the participation of the ILO’s Regional Office. Among various amendments, sections 7 and 8 of the current Labour Code have been revised to make both foreign and Lebanese domestic workers subject to its provisions. In addition, the Committee notes that the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), in its concluding observations on the combined twenty-third and twenty-fourth periodic reports of Lebanon, expressed concern about the sponsorship system (kafalah). This system results in employers exercising excessive control over migrant domestic workers, rendering them vulnerable to abusive working conditions, including non-payment of wages, long working hours, confiscation of passports, and psychological and physical abuse, including sexual violence. These issues have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic (document CERD/C/LBN/CO/23-24, dated 1 September 2021, paragraph 24). The Committee further notes that CERD expressed deep concerns about: (a) many foreign workers, notably domestic workers and particularly women, being unaware of the remedies available to them in the event of a violation of their rights; (b) obstacles that may hinder foreign workers’ access to justice, such as reluctance to file complaints for fear of negative repercussions like expulsion from the country; (c) perpetrators of violations going unpunished (ibid., paragraph 26). The Committee finally notes that the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), in its concluding observations on the sixth periodic report of Lebanon, expressed concerns about the suspension by the Council of State of the implementation of the new single standard contract for migrant domestic workers, the delay in adopting legislation to protect women migrant domestic workers, and the absence of data on the number of reported deaths of women migrant domestic workers in the State party (document CEDAW/C/LBN/CO/6, dated 1 March 2022, paragraphs 49 and 50). In its observations, the CGTL refers to circular No. 4 of 4 October 2021, issued by the Minister of Labour, requesting all public administrations and institutions, municipalities and banks, among other things, to reinforce the monitoring companies that supply foreign workers or provide services for obtaining work permits for foreign workers, to give preference in employment to Lebanese workers, and to reserve works in sanitation, hospitality, banks, public administration, institutions and municipalities to Lebanese workers. The CGTL adds that the NEO has been requested to prepare a study on the occupations in which foreigners must be prohibited. The CGTL contends that competition with foreign workers remains strong and believes that the Government should adopt an action plan for the recruitment of young men and women. The Government is requested to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to prevent abuses of migrant workers, including migrant domestic workers. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on developments in relation to the Bill regulating decent work for domestic workers and to provide a copy once it is adopted.

Employment of women. The Committee notes that the CEDAW, also in its concluding observations on the sixth periodic report of Lebanon, expressed its concerns about the persistent gender pay gap in Lebanon, vertical and horizontal segregation in the labour market and the lack of childcare facilities to enable women and men to reconcile family and professional life (document CEDAW/C/LBN/CO/6, dated 1 March 2022, paragraphs 39 and 40). The Committee notes in addition that the ILO has several development cooperation projects in Lebanon that focus on empowering women and improving their employment prospects and form part of the ILO’s broader efforts to promote gender equality and support women’s participation in the workforce in Lebanon. These include Skill-Up Lebanon (Phase II) which in collaboration with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, aims to improve the acquisition of market-relevant skills and increase employability through competency-based skills training. The project specifically targets Syrian and Lebanese youth, including women, providing pre-enrolment career orientation and post-training support services. Another ILO project aims at Empowering Women through Skills Development, and is operated by the ILO, in partnership with local NGOs like the Safadi Foundation, to offer training programs that empower women by aligning their skills with labour market needs. For example, training in post-COVID-19 healthcare services for the elderly has helped women gain employment and improve their livelihoods. Finally, the Committee also notes the Know About Business (KAB) Entrepreneurship Programme which targets young women and men enrolled in general secondary schools, vocational/technical education, and higher education. The project introduces beneficiaries to entrepreneurship at both personal and business levels, equipping them with essential skills for the labour market. In its observations, the CGTL contends that the Lebanese Labour Code does not cover domestic workers, and this leaves this category of workers unprotected and subject instead to a system not provided for by law, but to decrees and decisions that create the Kafala/sponsorship system. The CGTL adds that the Ministry of Labour has issued a decision regulating the activity of recruitment agencies for female migrant domestic workers and adopting a standard unified contract, which its provisions have not been applied in practice. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated detailed information on the impact of the measures adopted or envisaged to pursue an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment for women and avoid gender discrimination.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Government indicates that the participation of social partners generally happens in making decisions as the Ministry of Labour is keen to take social partners’ views into account through tripartite consultations. In addition, the Government adds that labour policies and programmes are implemented with the active participation of the ILO’s Regional Office. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated and more detailed information on the measures taken to seek the active involvement of the social partners, as well as those of representatives of the persons affected by the measures to be taken, in the context of the development, implementation and review of employment policies and programmes.