iMMAP is pleased to announce the launch of a new project aiming to provide technical support and capacity building in the fields of information management (IM) and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) in Iraq.
In partnership with the GIZ Private Sector Development and Employment Promotion initiative in Iraq and commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union, the project formally kicked off on December 1st, 2021. It will be implemented for 12 months to support the labor market development strategies while ensuring the successful integration of job seekers into the labor market.
Iraq is in the midst of an economic crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic - adding to the existing demands faced by the public sector after decades of bloodshed and political unrest. Meanwhile, the private sector continues to struggle with a youth unemployment rate of 13%. These factors, coupled with the lack of information, prevent the Iraqi government from adequately supporting the labor market.
A major obstacle towards the integration of the private sector in the economic prosperity of Iraq is the information gap on the status of the labor market and the inability to effectively connect employers with jobseekers - preventing young people from entering the workforce. In addition, public institutions are struggling to establish and run market-driven assistance and training programs in the absence of centralized data on job seekers and recruiters.
The primary objective of this project is to respond to the information and capacity gaps currently present, by supporting the Iraqi government to promote private sector development and facilitate the entry of youth into the labor market through an array of services. Initially, iMMAP will create and implement tailored, interactive online information systems for the involved ministries that will support the planning and response design to improve the labor market efficiency and stimulate growth through the private sector. To ensure the sustainability of the project, iMMAP will provide dedicated capacity building sessions on the core skills needed to manage and maintain the platforms autonomously, including IM and M&E processes and best practices. Finally, iMMAP will conduct post-assessment surveys targeting over 4,000 beneficiaries to analyze the impact of the project activities across southern Iraq.
