Social and Solidarity Economy Supporting Consultant

International Labour Organization

Within this context, and under the framework of the PROSPECTS Programme, specifically Outcome 2.03.05, the ILO is supporting the Government of Iraq in developing a national SSE policy. This effort is aligned with Diwani Order No. (61) of 2025 issued by the Council of Ministers, which established a national committee tasked with developing a national policy on the SSE.

Following a series of meetings, the national committee agreed to adopt the ILO approach for developing the SSE policy in line with the ILO Resolution on decent work and the SSE. In February 2026, the ILO conducted a two-day orientation workshop to formally launch the SSE policy development process, introduce the concept and principles of SSE and present the policy development roadmap. This roadmap, which was approved by the national committee, includes a series of technical and consultative steps to ensure that the policy is inclusive, participatory, and based on evidence.

To ensure that the SSE policy development process is grounded in the Iraqi context, inclusive, and participatory, the ILO will recruit a national consultant to work closely with the international consultant and support all phases of the assignment, particularly stakeholder engagement, and field research.

II. Scope of work

Under the two phases related of the diagnostic study on the SSE in Iraq, and the development of a policy options and intervention matrix, the national consultant will support the international consultant in:

• Ensuring strong contextual grounding of the SSE diagnostic and policy options
• Facilitating stakeholder mapping, engagement, and consultations at national and subnational levels
• Supporting data collection, validation, and analysis
• Contributing to the development of feasible and context-appropriate policy options

III. Detailed tasks

The national consultant will work in close coordination with the international consultant and in regular liaison with the national SSE committee and its technical committee, under the supervision of the ILO.

Under Phase 1: Diagnostic Study of the SSE in Iraq, the consultant will:

• Support the identification and mapping of stakeholders involved in SSE development in Iraq, including government and social partners at national and local levels, cooperatives and other SSE entities and their representative organizations, civil society organizations, private sector actors, academia and research institutions, organizations or informal associations representing vulnerable groups including women, youth, refugees, and IDPs.
• Maintain regular coordination and communication with the national SSE committee and its technical committee
• Facilitate access to key informants and organize interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs) and field visits
• Contribute to the adaptation of research tools (questionnaires, interview guides) to the Iraqi context including translation into Arabic and/or Kurdish, as required
• Conduct and/or support data collection in Arabic and/or Kurdish, including interpretation and translation where needed
• Provide contextual analysis and insights on SSE forms and practices in Iraq, institutional, legal, political and socio-economic dynamics, challenges and opportunities faced by SSE entities
• Support the identification of priority sectors for SSE development, good practices and case studies
• Contribute to the drafting of sections of the diagnostic report, particularly stakeholder mapping, interview (KII and FGD) summaries, case studies
• Support the organization and facilitation of the validation workshop

Under Phase 2: Policy Options and Intervention Matrix, the consultant will:

• Support the organization and facilitation of stakeholder consultations at national and local levels
• Ensure inclusive and effective participation of relevant stakeholders (as identified under Phase 1), with particular attention to vulnerable groups
• Provide context-specific inputs on feasibility and relevance of proposed policy options
• Contribute to refining policy problem statements, validating priority areas and assessing institutional and political feasibility
• Assist in drafting consultation summary reports and inputs to the policy options matrix
• Support the final validation process including the organization of the validation workshop and preparation of inputs to the final presentation to the national committee.

IV. Expected deliverables

Deliverables Description Timeframe

Under Phase 1: Diagnostic Study of the SSE in Iraq

1. Stakeholder mapping and engagement plan List of key stakeholders and engagement approach One week after contract signature

2. Fieldwork and data collection reports Reports from interviews, FGDs, and field missions Five weeks after contract signature

3. Inputs to diagnostic report Contributions to mapping, case studies, and contextual analysis Six weeks after contract signature

4. Validation workshop report Summary of workshop discussions and outcomes Seven weeks after contract signature

Under Phase 2: Policy Options and Intervention Matrix,

5. Consultation facilitation and summary report Support to national and subnational consultations and summary of key findings Nine weeks after contract signature

6. Draft policy options and intervention matrix Development of a structured matrix outlining policy challenges, corresponding interventions, anticipated impacts, feasibility considerations, and assigned responsible entities. Ten weeks after contract signature

7. Final validated matrix Revised and prioritized matrix incorporating stakeholder feedback and reflecting consensus outcomes. Eleven weeks after contract signature

8. Final presentation to the national committee Inputs to presentation materials and report of the validation workshop Twelve weeks after contract signature