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

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Libya (Ratification: 1971)

Follow-up to the conclusions of the Committee on the Application of Standards (International Labour Conference, 107th Session, May–June 2018)

The Committee recalls the discussion that took place in the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) in 2018. Acknowledging how the armed conflict affected poverty, development, decent work and enterprise sustainability; and recognizing employment’s role in peace and resilience, the CAS asked the Government to provide updated details on employment strategies as well as labour market data (disaggregated by sex and age), progress made on labour data analysis, and measures supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and the participation of workers in vulnerable situations. The CAS urged the Government to seek ILO assistance for active employment policies and collaborate with the ILO and social partners to strengthen Libya’s labour system toward achieving full, productive and freely chosen employment. The Committee takes note of the information provided by the Government and wishes to draw its attention to the following issues.

Articles 1 to 3 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. Consultations with the social partners. The Committee notes with interest the Government’s indication that the 2021 Libyan National Strategy for Human Development and Empowerment (LNSHDE) includes the following aspects: training for graduates whose qualifications do not meet labour market requirements; encouraging self-employment through the creation of small and medium-sized enterprises; establishing a comprehensive database for human resources and job opportunities; addressing the problems of seasonal and disguised unemployment and considering the operationalization of the social security law; ensuring the adoption of professional guidance and mentoring to newcomers to the labour market and increasing the scope of private sector participation in vocational and technical training; reviewing employment policies, activities and procedures and developing legislation; and changing the course of women’s employment through empowerment and capacity-building.

In addition, the Committee notes that the ILO has launched a series of EU-funded regional youth employment programmes targeting young people in Libya who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs). These programmes provide vocational training, entrepreneurship support and job placement services to equip youth with skills and opportunities to enter the workforce, aiming to reduce youth unemployment and promote economic stability in the region. Moreover, to better address labour market challenges, the ILO conducts in-depth labour market studies in Libya. These studies explore critical issues, such as migrant worker contributions, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment, and broader economic conditions. Insights from these studies guide policy and programme development to effectively address labour market needs. The Committee also notes that the Libya Human Development Report 2022–23 emphasizes certain key employment priorities to be pursued in the near the future, that: ensure economic recovery through private-sector job creation, address skills gaps with targeted training, improve access to basic services and social protection, and foster youth employment. Political stability is also noted as crucial for sustainable growth. Together, these elements underscore the need for comprehensive strategies to enhance employment opportunities and support economic stability in Libya. Furthermore, the ILO is also implementing a project aimed at expanding social insurance for agricultural workers in the Arab region, including in Libya, as these workers are often excluded from statutory regimes. The project addresses the high levels of informality and the unique risks faced by agricultural workers, and includes policy dialogues, research and the development of policy briefs to identify best practices and propose reforms. The Committee also observes that, according to data from the World Bank, the labour market in Libya is characterized by high unemployment, with an official rate of 19.6 per cent and that more than 85 per cent of those who work are employed in the public and informal sectors. The Committee also notes the Libya Economic Monitor of the World Bank of Spring 2023, which highlights that the labour market in Libya shares the characteristics of oil-rich countries in terms of dominance of public employment and those of fragile contexts that face the challenge of unemployment, high informality and an underdeveloped private sector that is unable to absorb a fast-growing young population. The Committee takes due note of the above information, including of the objectives of the National Strategy for Human Development and Empowerment as well as of important challenges that the Government continues to face, and hopes that the Government will continue to work closely with the ILO with a view to developing, adopting and implementing integrated national policies designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment, in consultation with the social partners. It reiterates its requests to the Government to provide detailed updated information on the timeframe and concrete measures taken and the progress made in this regard, particularly concerning the Libyan National Strategy for Human Development and Empowerment (LNSHDE). The Committee also wishes to draw the Government’s attention to the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation (No. 205) which offers critical guidance for the country’s recovery from conflict and existing instability as it: (i) underscores the power of employment and decent work in fostering peace and reducing crisis risks (the Recommendation stresses that by generating job opportunities, countries can stabilize communities, alleviate poverty, and reduce the likelihood of renewed conflict); (ii) provides actionable guidance on strengthening resilience in the labour market through recovery-focused programmes, such as vocational training, job creation and social protection schemes (these measures are crucial for rebuilding Libya’s economy and supporting sustainable workforce development); (iii) emphasizes the need for recovery efforts that account for vulnerable groups, including women, youth and displaced individuals (addressing these groups’ needs is key to achieving social cohesion and sustainable development); (iv) has at its core the aim of strengthening labour market institutions and encouraging social dialogue (this translates to building institutional capacity and fostering collaboration among the Government, employers and workers, creating a foundation for a stable and inclusive labour market); and (v) advocates for global partnerships to support countries recovering from crises (in Libya’s context, engagement with international organizations and leveraging global expertise are crucial for implementing effective employment strategies and labour policies that can drive long-term stability and growth).

Migrant workers. The Government states that illegal migrant workers are seeking to regularize their status through registration due to fears of repatriation to their home countries and their desire to immigrate to Europe, using the country as a transit point. The Government indicates that it has made considerable and positive progress in collaboration with neighbouring countries, countries of origin and international organizations in reducing illegal migration. It has urged migrants to obtain legal status in the country to enjoy rights guaranteed by law for voluntary employment or voluntary return to their home countries.

The Committee notes that the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya has reported the enslavement of migrants. Migrants are sometimes forced to work outside detention facilities for individuals or companies, while others, including unaccompanied children, are forced to work on farms, in factories, or in other menial labour situations, often without adequate food or water (document A/HRC/50/63, 27 June 2022, paragraphs 77 and 94). The Committee also notes that the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya found reasonable grounds to believe that guards demanded and received payment for the release of migrants, and that trafficking, enslavement, forced labour, imprisonment, extortion, and smuggling generated significant revenue for individuals, groups, and state institutions (document A/HRC/52/83, 3 March 2023, paragraph 44). The Committee once again emphasizes that forced or compulsory labour, where it exists, is incompatible with the principle of freely chosen employment set out in Article 1(3) of the Convention. It therefore reiterates its request to the Government to provide further detailed information on the specific steps taken to address reported cases of abuse of migrant workers and their families, including those who are detained by the Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration. It further reiterates its request to the Government to provide information on the progress made in drafting the new labour law aimed at increasing protection of the rights of migrant workers and their families, and the development and adoption of any strategy to tackle irregular migration, and to provide a copy once they are adopted. Lastly, the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide updated detailed information on measures taken or envisaged to promote the employment of migrant workers.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.