LEBANON – The Ministry of Social Affairs, with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and funding from the European Union (EU), launched the National Economic Inclusion Strategy during a national event hosted by the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, attended by ministers, MPs, representatives of international institutions, the public and private sectors, and development partners.
The strategy aims to promote the economic inclusion of the most vulnerable groups by linking social protection with skills development, employment services, job opportunities, and livelihoods, helping beneficiaries gradually transition from reliance on assistance to self-reliance.
Minister of Social Affairs Haneen El-Sayed said that economic inclusion represents the third pillar of the Ministry's 2026–2030 strategy, alongside assistance and social services. She noted that the strategy is based on three main pathways: wage employment, self-employment, and entrepreneurship.
The strategy includes a range of services, including career guidance, technical and life-skills training, psychosocial support, labour market mediation, job-search assistance, wage subsidies, and contributions toward transportation and childcare costs. It also provides support for small businesses, with particular attention to persons with disabilities.
Minister of Labour Mohammad Haidar stressed the importance of transitioning from social protection to productivity through an organized labour market that provides decent work opportunities. Minister of Economy and Trade Amer Bsat, meanwhile, emphasized that the success of economic inclusion depends on the economy's ability to create jobs, attract investments, and support small and medium-sized enterprises.
Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States, noted that an ILO survey found that nearly one-third of private-sector workers had lost their jobs since March, with women, young people, and persons with disabilities experiencing greater losses.
EU Ambassador to Lebanon Sandra De Waele announced that the European Union had invested more than €20 million in economic inclusion programmes in Lebanon between 2023 and 2026, reaffirming the EU's continued support for implementing the strategy.
The event also witnessed the signing of an Economic Inclusion Partnership Charter between the Ministry of Social Affairs and a number of public and private entities, financial and development institutions, and civil society organizations, with the aim of coordinating efforts, expanding employment opportunities, and strengthening sustainable social protection in Lebanon.
