Job Creation, Core Labor Standards & Poverty Reduction in Africa

German Trust Fund Project
Project Description and Partnership Objectives

The objective of the German Trust Fund Project is to provide a deeper analytical foundation than currently exists upon which to base future pro-poor labor market policies and interventions in low-income countries.  Country-level activities provide furthermore the opportunity to learn from actual pilot-project experience.  These projects will address country-specific needs and will provide operationally-relevant evidence on what interventions can increase job creation, support worker rights, and reduce poverty.  Finally, capacity-building activities throughout the project allow for thorough examination of the lessons learned and dissemination of the knowledge gained.

The initiative supports the PRSP effort in Africa and the Social Protection Strategy for Africa.  The aim of that strategy is to strengthen the poverty reduction strategies of low-income countries in Africa by identifying ways in which policymakers can reduce the vulnerability of the poor within a viable macroeconomic and implementation framework.  In addition to activities that are region-wide, the project targets three countries – Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Ghana – for policy-oriented research and pilot projects.  In each of these target countries, labor market issues have been highlighted in the CAS and lending programs.