Contents

The initial step in any employment generating strategy is to build up capacity in the relevant ministries as well as the representative institutions of the civil society to design and implement the of investment-led growth strategy. This is going to be achieved through the implementation of a regional programme to develop the national and regional capacity through the analysis and design alternative employment generating investment strategies. In so far as investment policies determine the volume and sectoral composition of direct interventions, the Poverty reducing employment strategies for sub-Saharan Africa is the key component of the programme. It will be summarised in Chapter I. Given its importance, the complete project document for this component is annexed to this Programme of Action.

The technical cooperation elements of a Programme of Action will abandon piece-meal interventions in favour of systematic programmes that can make a difference in creating jobs and reducing poverty. Mutually supportive technical assistance activities are proposed at both the regional and national levels, and will be described in Chapter II. It includes three regional level activities, and technical support at the national level in the following areas:

1. Promoting social dialogue for training Chapter II, section 2.2.1.

2. Small and medium enterprise development described in Chapter II, section 2.2.2.

3. Improving the data for employment and poverty reduction policy making, as detailed in Chapter II, section 2.2.3.

4. Employment-intensive programmes for the creation and rehabilitation of infrastructure, described in Chapter II, section 2.2.4.

5. Policies and programmes to enhance women's employment and their participation in decision making presented in Chapter II, section 2.2.5.

6. Policies and programmes for job creation through broad-based rural development (summarised in Chapter II, section 2.2.6.), including the promotion of developmental institutions (e.g. cooperatives described in section 2.2.7.).