Unemployment and other employment-related problems is an on-going challenge faced by many Governments and they do not occur only in times of crisis. As observed by the ILO, there was a Jobs Crisis before the financial crisis of 2008-09 and a problem of structural unemployment as a result of jobless growth in many areas of the world. with markets unable to create employment at the scale required. Public employment programmes (PEP) such as public works programmes (PWP) and employment guarantee schemes (EGS) are a key tool to protect the most vulnerable against shocks, at the same time developing infrastructure, assets and services that promote social and economic development: whether in response to a crisis, or as part of longer term, counter-cyclical employment policy.