Capacity-building for Afghans employers

An “Effective Employer Organizations” training programme took place in Turin from 10 to 13 November with 16 delegates from the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries ACCI and its sectors, such as the Afghan Gemstone Trader Association, the Afghani Exporter Association and the Afghan Women’s Business Federation.

The workshop involved the ITCILO ACT/EMP Team but also our colleague Gota from New Dehli, Franklyn Amerinsinghe, the DECP and ILO CRISIS colleagues.

The complex situation of the country and the current extremely poor security levels require a comprehensive re-organization of the country and of its civil society, including employers’ organizations.

What role can such organizations play in this context? What can employers do to help improve the business climate and service their members in the country? What are the fundamentals of an effective employers’ organization?

These topics were thoroughly discussed during the four days of the workshop. During different interactive sessions, participants and experts had the opportunity to exchange views and experience on good governance, membership and fees strategies, lobbying and advocacy, effective provision of services.

Quite some time was also devoted to action planning and the proposals to build-up specific facilities for the promotion of handicraft on the one hand and for the promotion of the agricultural sectors on the other hand will be followed up in the next months with ACCI.