ILO helps Syria strengthen planning for labour reforms

The ILO said the framework is designed to organise information the Ministry already produces, making it easier to monitor progress, prepare reports, identify risks and support informed policy decisions.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), working with Syria's Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MOSAL), has completed a two-day training programme designed to strengthen the Ministry's ability to plan, monitor and deliver its new Strategic Plan for 2026–2028.

Around 50 officials from the Ministry's central administration and regional directorates took part in the programme, which focused on monitoring, evaluation and project management to help turn the strategic plan into a practical framework for implementation and performance tracking.

Building stronger planning and monitoring systems

The training introduced a framework covering eight major programmes, 47 strategic projects and 141 implementation activities. The system links each programme and project to expected outputs, outcomes and long-term impact while including performance indicators, baseline data, annual targets, data sources and methods for verifying progress.

ILO Chief Technical Adviser Maha Kattaa said the partnership between the ILO and MOSAL is built on national ownership and support for Syria's development priorities through the European Union-funded Durable Solutions, Assisted Voluntary Returns and Social Reintegration (DAR) programme.

She said strengthening institutional capacity is an investment that extends beyond individual staff members, with lasting benefits achieved when new knowledge becomes part of everyday decision-making, working methods and public service delivery.

Practical tools for better decision-making

Participants explored how strategic plans connect with programmes, projects and day-to-day activities while learning how monitoring and evaluation can improve accountability and support evidence-based decisions throughout the project cycle.

The programme introduced both traditional and adaptive project management approaches, including concepts from Project Management Professional (PMP) and Agile methodologies. Officials also received training on the SMART and SMARTER frameworks for setting measurable objectives and regularly reviewing progress to improve results.

Practical exercises focused on writing clear objectives, selecting performance indicators, setting realistic targets, identifying reliable data sources and documenting achievements against planned outcomes.

Strengthening implementation across the Ministry

During discussions, participants identified opportunities to improve baseline information, classify beneficiaries more accurately, include more detailed geographic data and strengthen the links between activities, available resources and expected results.

The ILO said the framework is designed to organise information the Ministry already produces, making it easier to monitor progress, prepare reports, identify risks and support informed policy decisions.

Supporting long-term labour reforms

MOSAL Director of Planning Waddah Raqqad said the training will help staff translate the Ministry's strategic priorities into measurable actions that can be tracked more effectively.

The ILO also announced plans for a follow-up meeting involving government ministries, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organisations and development partners to share the framework and encourage coordinated reporting on contributions to the Strategic Plan.

The training forms part of the wider cooperation between the ILO and Syria in areas including employment, labour market information systems, social protection, employment services and institutional development.