Youth Employment Generation in Mafraq, Ma’an and Madaba  (www.undp-youthjo.com) 

The events in the region demonstrate that Arab Youth is a driving force for transformational change and has a strong strategic role in the economic and social development in the region. 

22% of the Jordanian population is aged between 15-24 years old. The unemployment rate among young people reached levels–up to 27% in 2008 and 2009, where employment rates for women are particularly high (especially educated women). Therefore matching the outputs of the higher education system to the Labour market is recognized as a major challenge in Jordan.

As a response, the Jordan National Agenda 2006-2015 addresses the structural employment problems in the country, calling for policies and programmes to amplify job creation with focus on Youth employment. The Jordan government fixed as an objective the reduction of the overall unemployment rate in Jordan to 6.8% by 2017.

Therefore the “Youth Employment Generation Programme in Arab Transition Countries– Jordan Component” project was designed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and signed in April 2012 in coordination with the Embassy of Japan. It aims at supporting the Jordan government in the implementation of the National Agenda and at responding to the unemployment challenge faced by Youth in Jordan. The project will be implemented in full cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation and Youth organizations.

 The project will contribute to empower Jordan Youth, promote employment and decent work, reduce socio-economic inequalities and foster gender equality. It will in particular target three Governorates with high poverty and unemployment rates: Mafraq (poverty rate of 31.9%), Ma’an (poverty rate of 24.2%) and Madaba (poverty rate of 14.9%).

An implementation plan of the project will be designed.  An inception conference chaired by UNDP will be hold in June 2012 and will gather participants from the Embassy of Japan, Ministries, Youth organizations, International Organizations, private companies from the three Governorates and members of the Civil Society. It will enable to identify priorities, capacity gaps and technical assistance requirements for the implementation of the project.

Opportunities for internships for Youth will be increased in the three Governorates. 75 young people (women and men) aged between 18-26 years old will be given the opportunity to complete an eight months internship in the private or in the public sector. At least 50 per cent of the interns will be young women. Prior to the internships the selected young people will attend workshops on basic employability skills.

A mapping of existing Youth employment policies and programmes will be conducted and will enable to identify gaps and needs in the legal and regulatory employment framework. It will outline the necessary activities that can be undertaken to overcome these gaps, notably in the Tourism, Trade and Information and Communication Technologies sector. A special attention will be given in the identification of training and employment opportunities. The International Labour Organization (ILO) will bring its support all along this activity.

Youth employment generation policies will be identified through the provision of advisory services and in close consultation with the Ministries and Civil Society from the three Governorates.

A national conference on Youth employment will be held at the end of the project and will enable to give concrete recommendations and present possible actions by the government and the Private sector.