1. Brussels Policy Briefing no. 24
Unleashing Rural employment and decent work: Seizing opportunities and tackling challenges
Brussels Policy Briefing no. 24 on
Major drivers for rural transformation in Africa: Job creation for rural growth
(Brussels, 14 September 2011)

2. Working in rural areas: Why now?
A (social, economic, political) MUST
Sizeable rural population
Reaching MDGs (poverty reduction)
Sense
Notable “missed opportunities” of
URGENCY
Stifling challenges, namely decent work gaps
(labour standards, employment, social
protection, social dialogue)
Recent concerns (Climate and environment,
food crisis, economic crisis, migration flows,
socio-political stability)

3. Working in rural areas: Why now?
CAPACITY EXISTS to unleash (job-rich) rural development
Experience
Expertise
Convergence of visions among development actors
The WILL …

4. Working in rural areas: How?
Sharpened vision
View rural areas as ENGINES (of growth, jobs, development …)
DATA, data, data …
Targets
Value and empower YOUTH
Value and empower WOMEN
Integrated approach
MULTIDISCIPLINARY (packages of measures)
PARTICIPATORY (Develop rural stakeholders’ «VOICE», make it drive initiatives,
and reach national decision making)
COORDINATION and SYNERGIES (nationally, internationally)
Pragmatism
REPLICATE/UPSCALE successful approaches, and make them REACH POLICY LEVEL
Moving from words to ACTION

5. Creating rural decent jobs in SENEGAL through entrepreneurship
PROMER II (2006 – 2011), ILO component