Job creation is an important dimension within economic development for income generation and fighting poverty. Especially in fragile and conflict contexts, where unemployment is high and livelihoods endangered. ILO has developed a manual with tools to measure how job creation can have a positive impact on peace. GIZ is currently developing a toolbox for Sustainable Economic Development which build on ILO’s theory of change and offers principles for ensuring a positive impact on peace.

Main Questions

• What are realistic contributions of job creation on peace and stabilization in the local context?

• How do jobs have to be set up in order to contribute to peace and how can those contributions be measured?

• What needs further attention and research? What do we know and where are the gaps? And what does this imply for the translation of realities into practice and into policies of development actors?

Key Theses, Thoughts and Ideas

Jobs are important but do not automatically lead to social cohesion. Besides the characteristic decent, creative, just and justly paid, job creation as ‘Jobs4P’ has to contribute to social relations to generate a positive impact on peace. The critical factors are behaviour and attitudes of the actors and the perception of employment measures on the ground. Measuring a peace positive impact of job creation has to go far beyond livelihood effects. Further research is needed for "good enough" standards in fragile contexts: Indicators for social cohesion and peacebuilding need to be developed further. We also need measures for "peace", not just "jobs".

Economic development can create a space for people to come together and to get engaged on common ground. This space has to be prepared so that trust between all stakeholders can be generated and sources of conflict can be discussed and transformed mutually.