Development of an operational manual for the employment services guidance in Iraq

Despite being the major centre for oil exports, Basra governorate has a high rate of unemployment, poverty, and a lack of basic services. In Basra, a city of more than 4 million, unemployment reached 21.8% in 2021, higher than the national average of 16.5% and the 5th highest rate in the country. Basra also has the 3rd highest NEET rate amongst young women in the country, and the 5th highest amongst young men (at 62.5% and 27.5% respectively)1.
Furthermore, COVID-19 has negatively affected the most vulnerable people, particularly those living in informal settlements deprived of services. Many households depend on unstable incomes and minimal savings. Informal settlements are densely populated with inadequate potable water and sanitation, little or no waste collection, and limited access to formal health care facilities.
As a response, in October 2021 UN-Habitat launched the “Increasing Access to Employment Opportunities for Vulnerable Urban Population in Basra City in Response to the COVID 19 Crisis” project funded by the EU. The objectives of the 3.5-year project are to a) improve water, electricity, waste management services and access in three underserviced settlements in Basra (Al-Ahrar, Al-Kubiyah, and Jurf Al-Melah), and b) enhance job opportunities for unemployed young men and women.
In October 2022, ILO and UN HABITAT signed a partnership agreement to cooperate in this project implementation. The ILO will be contributing to enhance job opportunities for unemployed young men and women in three underserviced settlements in Basra (Al-Ahrar, Al-Kubiyah, and Jurf Al-Melah) through development interventions includes:
1) Construction interventions at the project adopting the Employment Intensive Approaches and Decent Work
2) Improve employment services through employment centres and digital employment platform: (the employment services include registration, training, on-job training, referral, job placement, etc.)
3) Enhance skills and capacities of vulnerable urban populations and SMEs to increase employability and productivity.