Local Consultant to coordinate and follow up with local tripartite groups in its efforts to expand social security coverage for workers in Kirkuk

1. BACKGROUND

In March 2023, Iraq ratified International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 102 on Minimum Standards of Social Security. Following this, in November 2023, the Government enacted Law No. 18 of 2023 on Retirement and Social Security for Workers. This new law replaces the former Retirement and Social Security Law No. 39 of 1971 and aims to provide comprehensive coverage for all workers, including those in the informal economy, the self-employed, and contributing family workers. These legislative developments mark a significant step towards increasing the formalization efforts in the country. Indeed, the expansion of social security in itself will shed light on hereto hidden labour relations and enable efforts to ensure better protections.

Kirkuk Governorate, with a labuor force participation rate of 35.3%, has a diverse economic landscape driven by its rich oil resources, agriculture, and trade. It plays a vital role in Iraq’s economy by producing a significant proportion of the country’s oil exports and hosting numerous manufacturers and factories. Given this industrial presence, expanding social security coverage for workers in the oil and industrial sectors is crucial for the effective implementation of the new social security law.

In that line, the ILO is committed to providing technical support for reforming and developing Iraq’s social security system and enforcing relevant regulations, including the new law. This initiative is in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, workers’ and employers’ organizations, the Labour Committee and Civil Society Institutions within the Iraqi Parliament, with funding generously provided by the European Union in partnership with UNICEF and World Food Program.

As part of the project, in May 2024, the ILO conducted a one-day tripartite workshop in Kirkuk Governorate, which included representative from the Labour Committee in the Parliament, the Social Security Office in Kirkuk, workers’ and employers’ organizations. The workshop aimed to facilitate social dialogue on the national implementation of the new social security law and highlighted proposed activities for 2023-2027. Discussions focused on implementation mechanisms, the commitments of local and national parties, challenges, strategies, and priorities for expanding coverage under the new law in Kirkuk. The workshop concluded with an agreement to continue joint efforts between the Department of Pension and Social Security in Kirkuk, workers’, and employers’ organizations to ensure the optimal application of the law.

1. SCOPE OF WORK AND OBJECTIVES

Under the EU-funded project “Social Protection Programme for Iraq: Leveraging Effective Response and Accelerating Reform,” the International Labour Organization is seeking a Local Consultant based in Kirkuk to coordinate the work of the tripartite consultation group in the governorate.

The primary objective of the Local Consultant is to facilitate the effective coordination and collaboration of the tripartite consultation group in Kirkuk Governorate, ensuring social dialogue among all constituents to successful facilitate and follow the expansion of social security coverage under the new Retirement and Social Security Law No. 18 of 2023. This role involves ensuring regular communication and information exchange between the Social Security Department, trade unions and employers’ organizations as well as other relevant stakeholders, addressing challenges, and monitoring implementation progress to enhance social security coverage for all workers in the governorate.

1. ACTIVITIES

Under the overall supervision of the ILO Iraq Country Coordinator and a direct supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor on Social Security, the Local Consultant will carry out the below tasks during the period of 1st of August 2024 – 31 December 2024:

• Facilitate Tripartite or Tripartite plus meetings to support the counterparts to develop a comprehensive framework. This involves facilitating discussions among the Social Security Department, trade unions and employers’ organizations in Kirkuk to develop action plan to extend the coverage of social security, ensuring all stakeholders’ perspectives are considered. The consultant will document the agreed action plan and follow up on its implementation.
• Actively coordinate with the ILO tripartite constituents – government, workers’ and employers’ organizations – as well as other relevant stakeholders in Kirkuk to foster enhanced collaboration throughout the contracting period, aiming at improving the overall quality of project implementation and ensure the successful extension of social security coverage to currently uncovered workers in formal and informal economies in Kirkuk, thereby contributing to more adequate, comprehensive and inclusive social protection coverage.
• Develop and submit detailed terms of references of the Tripartite framework in Kirkuk. This plan will include the roles and responsibilities of the entities represented within the local group, a roadmap for the extension of social security coverage, a detailed workplan, a coordination strategy agreed upon with tripartite parties, and a schedule for periodic meetings to review and track progress on the implementation. The terms of references will outline the timeline, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders involved, indicators and measures of success, main activities, and strategic objectives to guide the tripartite group work effectively.
• Support the efforts of local counterparts in Kirkuk in establishing tripartite sub-groups at sectoral or geographical levels.
• Conduct a general analysis to identify the governorate’s most prominent or most growing economic sectors in cooperation with employers’ organizations, workers’ organizations, and other relevant bodies.
• Coordinate the awareness campaign activities on the Social Security Law in Kirkuk, which the ILO will launch in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, workers’ organizations, and employers’ organizations at the national level.
• Call for and organize periodic in-person meetings of the Tripartite group. These meetings will facilitate ongoing discussions among the Social Security Department, trade unions and employers’ organizations to address challenges, track, and review progress, and ensure continuous collaboration and information exchange.
• Produce monthly reports documenting the progress of the tripartite group work. These reports will include challenges encountered and strategies implemented to address them, opportunities identified, and lessons learned and a summary of the interactions and information exchanges between the Social Security Department, trade unions and employers’ organizations.
• At the end of the consultancy period, the Local Consultant will present a final report evaluating the progress made towards expanding social security coverage in Kirkuk Governorate. This report will highlight key achievements measured against the set targets and provide recommendations for future actions.

1. DELIVERABLES

• An inception report including a comprehensive workplan outlining the coordination action plan for the tripartite group, including timelines and key activities, to be presented to the ILO Social Protection team by 15th of August 2024.
• Detailed Terms of Reference for the Tripartite framework in Kirkuk, outlining objectives of the Tripartite group work, roles and responsibilities of the participating entities, an agreed roadmap and a detailed workplan, main activities, indicators, and measures of success, and monitoring and evaluation, by 31 August 2024. Agreeing on a mechanism to track registration and disbursement in a common scorecard format that will be agreed by ILO.
• Detailed agendas and minutes, with attendance sheets, for all periodic group meetings held with the Social Security Department, workers’ and employers’ organizations in Kirkuk. On monthly basis, from August to December 2024.
• Monthly reports documenting the progress of the tripartite group work, including challenges encountered and strategies implemented to address them, opportunities identified, and lessons learned, and summarizing the interactions and information exchanges between unions, the Social Security Department, and employers’ organizations. On monthly basis, from August to December 2024.
• A final report at the end of the consultancy period, evaluating the progress made towards expanding social security coverage in Kirkuk Governorate, including key achievements and recommendations for future actions. By 31st December 2024.

1. QUALIFICATIONS AND WORK EXPERIENCES

• At least, a first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in one of the field(s) or other relevant field in law , economics , social science.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with a proven experience in planning, follow-up, and coordinating multi-stakeholder committees or working groups, preferably in the context of social protection or labour issues.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to lead discussions and ensure productive outcomes.
• Good experience working with MoLSA, local government agencies, trade unions, employers’ organizations, and civil society actors.
• Experience working in development programming, with a strong understanding of Iraq’s social security system, and the recent reforms under the Retirement and Social Security Law No. 18 of 2023.
• Familiarity with the economic and labour market landscape of Kirkuk Governorate, including key industries and workforce demographics, situation with social security coverage and informality. Solid understanding of the roles and functions of trade unions, employers’ organizations, and social security institutions is an advantage.
• Ability to produce clear and concise reports and documentation.
• Good research and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in Arabic, English and Kurdish, with strong written and verbal communication skills in both languages.

1. TIMEFRAME AND WORKING DAYS:

The number of days of this assignment is 30 working days (6 days a month x 5 months) distributed between 1st August 2024 – 31 December 2024. The working days will be distributed on the reporting period to complete the required deliverables successfully in the ToR.

1. MODALITIES FOR PAYMENT OF FEES

Upon submission of accepted monthly report detailing the performed tasks against the above specified deliverables, a payment will be made for the number of days to deliver the specific tasks.

1. LOCATION AND MISSIONS

The Local Consultant is expected to be based in Kirkuk Governorate and will primarily work within this region. Any necessary travel to other locations within Iraq, as required for the project’s activities, will be covered in accordance with ILO’s travel standards and policies.