Abstract
Over the years, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has been helping its constituents develop national employment policies (NEPs) to address the persistent employment and labour market challenges. Meanwhile, there are increasing requests on how to implement the NEPs effectively. With the adoption of the ILO Centenary Declaration 2019 and a Global Call to Action for a human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient, NEPs implementation has become even more important.The Guidelines suggests three pillars for NEPs implementation: (1) inter-institutional coordination structures that bring all stakeholders on board in the NEPs process. In particular, an inter-ministerial coordination committee, IMCC; (2) an accountability framework that ensures stakeholders’ buy-in and endorses their role as key NEPs implementers, which is composed of commitments, results-based implementation and oversight; (3) a support system that includes institutions for policy delivery, information system, financing, and legislative and regulatory system. The Guidelines also suggests overall approaches, principles and steps to help design the NEPs implementation framework.The guidelines can be adapted to country circumstances, and modified in the face of economic shocks, sudden conflicts, disasters, social unrest, or public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 crisis. The guidelines will be continuously updated to make it a useful tool for employment policies and, in a broader sense, for other economic, social and environmental development policies that have an employment objective.