Business versus Development Approaches on Employment Creation in Fragile Contexts

Fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS) offer a serious challenge to the international communicy as they are home to the world's poorest, and therefore a potentioal base for crime and terrorism.

Creating jobs in the immediate aftermath of conflict is of vital importance as a key plank of creating stability. These jobs are usually created by NGOs, governments and donors as part of reconstructuion programmes. The challenge for such initiaties however is they are time-limited due to funding constrants. This is where the synergy with the private sector comes is. At the same time, development actors can provide companies with local context, assist in the creation of value chains, and guide on conflict sensitivity and standards. 

This scoping study focuses on how employment for stability can be created in fragile and conflict-affected settings. The study identifies the different incentive structures of the private sector and potential synergies with what development agencies do to create employment in FCAS. This is supported by case studies on a wide range of countries: South Sudan, Kenya, Bangladesh, Mozambique and Colombia.