National Employment Strategy

The employment situation in Afghanistan is an enormous and growing challenge. The efforts of the last ten years have not begun to address the growing needs and the transition and reduced international funding will further exacerbate an already difficult situation. Out of a working-age population of over 12 million and a labour force participation of just over 8 million (66.6%) based on 2007/8 NRVA data, we are seeing an unemployment rate of 823,000 persons (7.1%), just under 4 million underemployed (48.2%) and just over 6 million in vulnerable employment (77% of the labour force). With a young population of which 49% are under the age of 15, we are set to see over 400,000 Afghans joining the labour force each year. Without the development and implementation of informed policies and strategies to promote job-rich growth, the country is likely to see growing social unrest at la Arab Spring that will put at risk the investments of the international community of the last decade. Urgent efforts are needed to support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA), Workers’ and Employers’ Organizations in collaboration with Civil Society to generate more and better quality and sustainable jobs now. 1. Objectives 1.1 To strengthen the capacity of the MoLSAMD and GoIRA, in the development of an informed, integrated and coherent strategies for decent work in Afghanistan. • Through the implementation of such strategies it is anticipated that significant numbers of sustainable and decent jobs will be generated through the application of informed, integrated and coherent strategies at national and sub-national levels. 1.2 To support the development process of a National Employment Strategy (NES) through the holding of a National Conference on Jobs to be held jointly between the WB and the ILO. 2. Key Outputs • A National Conference on Jobs (Joint effort of WB and ILO) • A National Employment Strategy (NES) • A MoLSAMD capacitated to maintain the existing and develop future NEP and NES. 3. Strategy Outline While there are comprehensive and tested approaches the ILO has been using to support governments in the development of NES’, in the context of Afghanistan where the GoIRA has already begun the process of developing a National Labour Policy (NLP) and where, with the support of the International Community (IC) significant efforts have been undertaken to identify and develop Ministerial National Priority Programmes (NPP) that include relevant materials that should be brought together in an overarching and integrated national employment strategy, it is suggested that a more concise approach be applied.

Project symbol

AFG/68/011/34

Admin unit

RO-Asia and the Pacific

Start date

01/01/2013

End date

31/03/2014

Total allocation

349232

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

278468

Development Partners

United Nations Development Programme

Country/Countries

Afghanistan

Outcomes

More and better jobs for inclusive growth and improved youth employment prospects