The International Labor Organization (ILO) has wrapped up a two-year project in Comoros, titled Resilience and Socio-Economic Inclusion of Women and People with Disabilities (Risec). The project's closure was marked by a final review workshop held at the Retaj Hotel in Moroni, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Employment, Labor, Sports, Arts, and Culture. The workshop aimed to present the project's achievements, analyze its successes and challenges, and identify lessons learned.
The Risec project focused on promoting economic inclusion, social dialogue, and equal opportunities, as well as developing the care economy and enhancing the livelihoods of vulnerable populations. It also sought to promote gender and disability mainstreaming in national policies and strategies. The project's objectives included reducing barriers to the integration of people with disabilities into the world of work and entrepreneurship, and creating an environment conducive to the resilience and economic empowerment of women, particularly those with disabilities.
Several initiatives were implemented under the project, including entrepreneurial training programs such as Germes, Think.Coop, and Start.Coop. These programs aimed to strengthen the capacities of beneficiaries and support them in structuring or developing their activities. Moctar Zouboudou, President of the National Tripartite Social Dialogue Committee (Cntds), hailed the workshop as an important milestone in capitalizing on and valorizing the project's achievements.
Zouboudou praised the commitment of the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Gender Promotion, and the ILO to socio-economic inclusion and decent work in Comoros. He emphasized that the review should enable stakeholders to appreciate the project's contributions to enhancing resilience and socio-economic inclusion, as well as identify mechanisms for sustaining the results achieved.
Mohamed Mtsahoi, Acting Secretary of the Comoros Workers' Confederation (Cttc), highlighted the role of social dialogue in building a more just and inclusive world of work. He stressed that dialogue between workers, public authorities, and social partners is essential for finding sustainable solutions to the country's economic and social challenges.
The former President of the Comoros Business Movement (Modec) commended the efforts made to strengthen entrepreneurial capacities, noting that the training programs provided participants with tools to better understand their economic environment, structure their initiatives, and consider creating or developing activities. However, she emphasized that consolidating these achievements requires competencies, accessible devices, economic opportunities, solid partnerships, and permanent dialogue.
Through this final review, the ILO and its partners aim to capitalize on the experiences of the Risec project and promote their integration into national policies and initiatives, ensuring that the gains made in inclusion, equality, and decent work can be sustained beyond the project's lifespan.
Key points
- The project provided entrepreneurial training to enhance the capacities of women and people with disabilities.
- The project aimed to promote economic inclusion, social dialogue, and equal opportunities.
- The project's closure was marked by a final review workshop to present achievements and identify lessons learned.
