Erbil, Iraq 27/06/2019 Emergency Livelihoods National Cluster Meeting #6 Meeting Minutes 1 VENUE FFS meeting room, UNDP Empire Business Complex, Building 3, Floor 2 DATE AND TIME 14:00 pm – 16:00 pm Thursday 27 th June 2019 PARTICIPANTS Bahar, Malterser, Public Aid, Basmesh and Zeitooneh, Blumont, Cesvi, CP Sub‐cluster, CRS, DRC, Fraternite in Iraq, GIZ, GOAL, HAI, Hangarian interchurch AID, HRF, IOM, IRC, IRW, Mercy Corps, Mercy Hands, NRC, OXFAM, PAO, PIN, PWJ, Reach, RNVDO, Rwanga, Sama Al‐Iraq, Samaritan, SCI, SEDO, Solidarites International, Trianglegh, UIMS, UNDP, UNHCR, UNOPS, UPP, WVI, ZOA Agenda DISCUSSION ACTION POINTS MEETING AGENDA 1. 14:00pm ‐ 14:10 pm Round of introductions 2. 14:10pm – 14:20 pm Round of updates from the sub‐clusters (Suly, Dohuk, Ninewa, Kirkuk and Baghdad) 3. 14:20pm – 14:30 pm Cluster partner updates (including Syrian Refugee response) 4. 14:30pm – 14:50 pm Partner Presentation ‐ on PERCEPTIONS ON WOMEN’S ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN URBAN AREAS OF IRAQ: Motivations and Mechanisms to Overcome Barriers (IOM) 5. 14:50 pm‐ 15:00pm: Partner Presentation ‐ on Livelihood Competency Assessment (HRF) 6. 15:00 pm‐ 15:20 pm UNOPS Iraq Information Centre (IIC) – cluster presentation on referrals 7. 15:20 pm‐ 15:40 pm Partner Presentation ‐ Livelihoods Activities (NRC) 8. 15:40 pm‐ 16:00 pm AoBs 1) Round of updates from the sub‐clusters (Suly, Dohuk, Kirkuk and Baghdad) (*All sub‐cluster contact details at end of minutes document) Key talking points: Dohuk ‐Sub‐cluster meeting – 27 th June 2019 – 38 participants, the meeting held in BRHA office, government department need cluster to have close collaboration with CwG.Tearfund had their presentation, there was a request in Ninawa to include the national disaster response to be included in HNO,HRP. Request to have completed SOPs for use. Baghdad – Meeting held on 26 th June, partners had their updates and discussions on the challenges , one of the challenges was about the gender sensitisation during implementation of activities, the second to ensure that beneficiaries are not using the business grants for another purpose outside of the activities ‐ Anbar and Tikret meeting will be held w/c 30 th ‐5 th July. Kirkuk – OCHA‐funded project in Hawiga, consisting of delivery of business grants and entrepreneurship training to 480 micro and small urban enterprises in Hawiga city. RI currently works with NRC around referrals of beneficiaries as well as training venues at HCC in Hawiga. Cluster partners should expect referrals for vocational trainings toward end of August, while RI also expects to refer poorest households for multi‐purpose cash support via CWG. To get more information click here about last Kirkuk sub‐cluster meeting minutes Sulymaniyah –the main action from last cluster ‐ OCHA wanted more details on service mapping which includes in‐camp and off‐camp and status of targeted beneficiaries , and some other details to be added for partners to have access beside the 3Ws. Next cluster will be 22 nd July.
Transcript
Erbil, Iraq 27/06/2019 Emergency Livelihoods
National Cluster Meeting #6
Meeting Minutes
1
VENUE FFS meeting room, UNDP Empire Business Complex, Building 3, Floor 2
DATE AND TIME 14:00 pm – 16:00 pm Thursday 27th June 2019
Round of updates from the sub‐clusters (Suly, Dohuk, Kirkuk and Baghdad) (*All sub‐cluster contact details at end of minutes document) Key talking points:
Dohuk ‐Sub‐cluster meeting – 27th June 2019 – 38 participants, the meeting held in BRHA office, government department need cluster to have close collaboration with CwG.Tearfund had their presentation, there was a request in Ninawa to include the national disaster response to be included in HNO,HRP. Request to have completed SOPs for use.
Baghdad – Meeting held on 26th June, partners had their updates and discussions on the challenges , one of the challenges was about the gender sensitisation during implementation of activities, the second to ensure that beneficiaries are not using the business grants for another purpose outside of the activities ‐ Anbar and Tikret meeting will be held w/c 30th‐5th July.
Kirkuk – OCHA‐funded project in Hawiga, consisting of delivery of business grants and entrepreneurship training to 480 micro and small urban enterprises in Hawiga city. RI currently works with NRC around referrals of beneficiaries as well as training venues at HCC in Hawiga. Cluster partners should expect referrals for vocational trainings toward end of August, while RI also expects to refer poorest households for multi‐purpose cash support via CWG. To get more information click here about last Kirkuk sub‐cluster meeting minutes
Sulymaniyah –the main action from last cluster ‐ OCHA wanted more details on service mapping which includes in‐camp and off‐camp and status of targeted beneficiaries , and some other details to be added for partners to have access beside the 3Ws. Next cluster will be 22nd July.
Erbil, Iraq 27/06/2019 Emergency Livelihoods
National Cluster Meeting #6
Meeting Minutes
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2)
Partner updates: Key talking points:
‐ ZoA – working in Hamdanya sub district, focusing on Farmer support , CFW and lifestock support, the second face if finishe and have some money left over. Looking for partners in this area to better coordination.
‐ FEI – hamdanya , focusing on agriculture projects and lifestock, by providing 80% as Loan and 20% grant
‐ Mercy Hands – working in Hamdanyah and Tilkef, focusing on capacity building through trainings in lifestock , green house and construction technigs , as well as providing asset replacement grants and now in the selection face of beneficiaries. Looking for coordinationg with other NGOs in the area.
‐ Triangle‐ In Hamdanyah implementing BPRM projects focusing in Qaraqoush city only the completed the inventory of all the farmers in this municipality. With mercy corps working on irrigation lifestock and market and transportation infrartructure.
There is monthly coordination meeting organized by district Mayor, and would be nice to have all the partners in this meeting.
‐ Sahara economic development SEDO – implementing livelihoods in Sinjar and Snuni, targeting 50 HHs for asset recovery.
‐ CRS – implementing in BArtella town and some villages focusing on Asset/business restoration, and working in some villages around bashiqa doing asset replacement and business restoration as well as a pilot project for new livelihood startup. And 2 years project on social cohesion and livelihoods project in Telkef,teliskof,bartela,hamdanya,qaraqoshand bashiqa focusing in youth entrepreneurship and livelihood grants
‐ Mercy corps – Innovate programs in Sulaymanyah and dyalah conducted a livelihood forum, the panel topics were about entrepreneurship and hiring processes and requirements of employer as well as SME sustainability in the market, engaging the stakeholders , businesses nad program team in the panels. For CPRM in Mosul , the 35 business trainigs were completed projected to finish by end of July, for MADAD program ,still loking for the local partners to work with while working on team some capacity building before implementation.
‐ IOM – Returns and Recovery Unit (RRU) – moving to sinuni, Sinjar and talafar,realeasing a call for interest for SMEs amount form 5000$‐30000$ , need more coordination to avoid overlapping and sharing the beneficiary lists and referals.
‐ PIN – workin in west Mosul on vocational trainings, business grants and acess to employment. Looking for partners who working on similar projects in mosul to coordinate together to avoid duplications
‐ RNVDO –working on livelihoods avtivities in Al Jada camp, Hamdanya and Mosul district.
‐ NRC‐ livelihoods programs in Basra, also in duhok ,Ramadi and west mosul. ‐ UPP‐ implementing 2 livelihood projects in Suly, 1st is for VT in the town and the 2nd
newly linched program of entrepreneurship with NGO, signing MoU with Local NGOs to providing some trainings. IRC‐ working in Mosul on business training, vocational and apprenticeship and CFW in Sinjar city.
‐ Information management presentation:
Erbil, Iraq 27/06/2019 Emergency Livelihoods
National Cluster Meeting #6
Meeting Minutes
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Key talking points:
‐ IDP ( host community and returnee) dashboard and 4W, can be found from below link https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiYjQxYzE3MjMtNGMxNy00ZjdjLTg4MjEtODIwMTQyNmM1NDZiIiwidCI6ImIzZTVkYjVlLTI5NDQtNDgzNy05OWY1LTc0ODhhY2U1NDMxOSIsImMiOjh9
‐ Syrian refugee dashboard and 4W, can be found from below link https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiZTQ2MmQ2MTgtNWFkNi00OTVlLWI2MGItYzY4OTBjMGE3YjIxIiwidCI6ImIzZTVkYjVlLTI5NDQtNDgzNy05OWY1LTc0ODhhY2U1NDMxOSIsImMiOjh9
Alterations on RFPs: GIZ: received 49 Proposals , which will lead probably to some delay to come back to partners The end of proposing eventions were June 2020, can be postponed
Activity Info Reporting Key talking points:
‐ As usual the deadline for submit partner activities for Jun into ActivityInfo is 5th ‐Jul
Perceptions on Women’s Economic Opportunities in Urban Areas of Iraq:Motivations and Mechanisms to Overcome Barriers
Background
• 1960s and 1970s: substantial female working force in Iraq
• 1970s and 1980s: legislation passed granting paid maternity leave, equal opportunities in the public sector and freedom from harassment in the work place
• 1980s: regime encouraged participation of women due to labor shortage from the Iran‐Iraq war
• Women’s participation in the work force increased from 2.5% in 1957 to 19% in 1980
Background
• International sanctions starting 1990
• Cycles of conflict since 2003
• Security and economic consequences, altered social fabric of Iraq
• Pushed Iraqi women into more traditional roles inside the household and left them with few viable economic opportunities
2017 Female Male
Unemployment 20.7% 10.3%
Urban unemployment 32.3% 10.5%
Youth unemployment 56% 29%
Labor force participation 18.8% 72.6%Middle East average: 20.6%
Increased from 11.3% in 2012
Background
Lack of enforcement of equal laws
Iraq’s 2005 Constitution grants all Iraqis the right to work and other laws guarantee rights of women such as maternity leave and equal pay
Some discriminatory laws still exist
2015 Law 37 2015 Chapter 10, Article 86, which prohibits employers from allowing women to work overnight
Objectives
• Identify barriers limiting women’s participation in economic activities
• Identify mechanisms used by women to access employment at micro and meso levels
• Identify motivations in overcoming barriers to seek employment
• Offer programmatic recommendations aimed at better tailoring interventions targeting women’s access to livelihoods and employment
Methodology
• 12 focus‐group discussions in 4 urban areas: Mosul, Kirkuk, Baghdad, Basra (three in each area)
• Late 2018
• Participants • All‐male, all‐female, and mixed groups
• Mixed education levels and employment statuses
• The discussions of the focus groups were later analyzed
Theoretical Framework
• Barriers classified as• Normative
• Consequential• Practical
• Mechanisms Identified as• Micro
• Meso
Normative Barriers
• Women feel obliged to conform to what is considered to be social and cultural standards of appropriate behavior
• Pressure to conform to societal norms and group identity
• Widely held views of women’s proper role
• Shame attached to veering from it
Normative Barriers
Most common barriers across all four urban areas
1. Cultural and societal norms
2. Motherhood
3. Perception that some jobs are not suitable for women
4. Family decision‐maker denies permission
Normative Barriers
Article 86 of Law 37 (2015) states that employers are not allowed to let women work at night unless it is necessary for the position, for example to preserve perishable items or in the case that other employees are unavailable
Normative Barriers: Perceptions
Men’s Perceptions
• Prefer women fulfill household duties
• Do not want women to interact with men at work
Some positive perceptions:
Some men agreed women have the right to work and even mentioned women working would be a point of pride for the family
Women’s Perceptions
• Described other women working as brave and independent
• Praised their ability to balance household duties and work and achieve goals
Consequential Barriers
Fears of ramifications resulting from participating in the work force
1. Fear of sexual harassment at and transiting to and from the workplace
2. Fear of failure to balance responsibilities of household and work
3. Fear of normative barriers, such as social consequences and reputation
Practical Barriers
Logistical, day‐to‐day obstacles that interfere with women’s ability to secure employment
1. Lack of employment opportunities
2. Unsuitable working conditions
3. Lack of university degree and relevant skills
4. PatronageParticipation in Economic ActivitiesEducation Level Women Men
Secondary School 13.4% 59.6%University Degree 73.8% 88.1%
Mechanisms
• Micro: within the family and immediate social network
• Meso: within the community, via group decision‐making or interaction
• Macro: state, policy or institutional levels
Micro‐Level Mechanisms
1. Seek help with childcare from family and facilities
2. Position other family members to speak to family decision‐maker who is denying permission for the female to work
3. Searching through personal network, internet, social media
4. Working from home
Meso‐Level Mechanisms
1. Seek “appropriate” positions
2. Seek public sector jobs
3. Patronage
4. Working from home
Motivations
1. EconomicFamily needs and economic independence
2. IndividualDeveloping self‐reliance and self‐esteem, advancing in one’s education or career or gaining independence
3. SocialExercising women’s right to work and becoming a productive member of society and the community
Designing Recommendations
Recommendations are designed to incorporate the theoretical framework by confronting barriers and enhancing mechanisms in order to overcome the barriers to employment for women
Recommendations to increase women’s participation in outside employment• More flexible work schedules
• Flexible hours• Job sharing• Telecommuting
• Increase benefits of women with dependents
Recommendations to increase women’s participation in outside employment• “Pink” transportation: provide safe, reliable, female‐only transportation to and from work to avoid harassment
Recommendations to increase women’s participation in outside employment• Support the quality of childcare centers to allow women to better balance work and childcare responsibilities
Recommendations to increase women’s participation in in‐home employment• Develop skills trainings
• Reach out to women with financial opportunities (micro‐loans or grants) to encourage and enable more women to generate income from home
Recommendations to increase access to outside and in‐home employment• Advertise opportunities in public spaces, create online job aggregator for communities and establish physical, locally accessible job centers
• Advertising job opportunities with women’s groups that already exist
• Including lines such as “female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply” in job advertisements
Recommendations to increase community support of women’s employment• Adapt the communication campaigns to target the different perceptions of men and women
• Encouraging women to use childcare centers would help them access employment. Mothers sometimes feel they are not fulfilling their full role by using childcare centers due to societal pressures.
Recommendations for possible pilot programs of innovative community‐based solutions• Community ‘Women in Business’ Associations
• The impact and acceptance of such programs is community specific and therefore requires further research at the community level on how it would be received by the community and how it would feed into the existing mechanisms in the community.
• Assessment based on an internally designed questionnaire focusing on the aspects of households’ income, expenditures, livelihoods pre‐ and post‐conflict opportunities, and professional skills.
• Sample sizing of 271 households constructed on the basis of a list of names provided by the Mayor’s office of Baiji, referring to the families that registered at the governmental office. The assessment was conducted by phone.
• 4 FDGs were conduced on site: targeted men head of households, women not head of the household, single female headed households and local authorities.
Methodology and limitations
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• The data is not entirely disaggregated by gender and population type, as the vast majority of the interviewees where returnees and male (26 females). The households interviewed were those formally registered in the district, representing 16% of the entire population. This affected the variety of respondents reached.
• Interviewees of Focus Group Discussions never participated in a similar exercises, thus the level of involvement and information sharing resulted limited in its outputs.
ContosoS u i t e s
• 78% of interviewees stated that at least one member of the household over 18 years old had worked during the 30 days previous to data collection. Among these, only 27% had a permanent job, 47% a temporary or daily job, 22% do not have any member currently employed.
• The majority of the respondents stated expecting this amount of work to diminish during the month following data collection.
• The main source of income of this same households derives from the support of family and friends (25%), loans (20%) and other methods such as: sell the assistance received from NGOs/charities, pension or social protection networks.
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• Despite no cases of child labour were mentioned during quantitative data collection, during FDGs all groups stated that children under the age of 18 are deeply involved in supporting their families’ livelihoods ‐ from 20 to 30 days a month.
Employment
ContosoS u i t e s
Income• Less than 50% relies on employment, while the rest relies on loans from family and friends, pension, cash assistance or selling the assistance received.
• The construction sector remains prominent, followed by the governmental sector, service industry and vocational sector. While agriculture, professions such as teachers, lawyers and engineers, public security officials, taxi and truck drivers have seen a consistent decrease.
• The category “others” includes remuneration from Cash for Work activities (80% pre‐crisis and 63% post‐crisis), pension due to retirement, unemployed individuals (16% post‐crisis) and students.
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ContosoS u i t e s
Attitudes towards women participationTo determine the extent to which the target group members are supportive of women’s active economic participation.
In favor
• 42% responded affirming that girls should study, so that they can earn money and support their families later
• For 34.3% it is acceptable if a woman works outside the home to support her family economically
• If a woman gets the right opportunities, she can be as good a business person as man for 30.6%
• women should be able to get a loan for establishing or expanding their own business for 35.8%
Not in favor• 58% reported that girls do not have to study too much,
because they will marry and the husband will take care of them
• 65.7% replied that women should be working at home and let their husband earn money for the family
• 69.4% consider women not suited for business
• 64.2% they should not receive any loan
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Generally, the population interviewed is not in favour of women and men equal economic participation (30% have positive attitudes towards women participation into business). Out of 26 women interviewed, only 9 of them demonstrated positive attitude towards women’s roles and capacities in the business sector.
Not specific patterns were observed between positive/negative attitudes and level of education.
ContosoS u i t e s
Expenditures• Food (99%), medical expenditures (96%), transport (98%) and hygiene items (95%) are the most common reported.
• 97% stated currently engaged in repaying a debt, with the highest debt value equalling 35,000,000 IQD ($29,166) and the lowest 15,000 IQD ($12.50).
• In Baiji there aren’t mechanisms providing financial loans, neither formal nor informal, and the capacity of family members and friends to provide loans at this point in time is becoming a problem.
• Despite the relatively low number of households with a permanent job, employment was mentioned only as the fifth priority in order of importance.
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ContosoS u i t e s
Barriers• Lack of family/person
connections, lack of formal training, lack of assets andincreased competition for jobs are the top five obstacles to access to livelihoods.
• Factors such as disability, refugee status or risk of exploitation at work do not have significant influence. However, childcare and work hours and location are reported among the top 3 barriers in accessing livelihood activities.
• In the peri‐urban and rural areas, women’s participation in livelihood activities take a different nuance. The main activities accepted to be performed by women are tailoring, hairdressing, beautician and small livestock husbandry.
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ContosoS u i t e s
Vocational training• 99% did not know about any skills training available and no one participated in any skills training.
• 77% willing to participate to skills trainings: finance and accounting, business marketing, harassment prevention and business management were the 5 top choices.
• Cross‐cutting life skills such as conflict resolution, harassment prevention or leadership development resulted of moderate interest.
• Among those running a small business before the crisis only 25% stated having enough knowledge and skills to continue or kick‐start a new business, and all of them stated to be interested in skills trainings.
1. FACT FINDING MISSION TO BASRA August 2018 following protests by NRC Advocacy, Access and Security)
2. Internal multi-sector (Livelihoods, WASH and Education) Rapid needs Assessments.
3. December 2018: Establish office in Basra-WASH in schools response
4. January 2019-Started livelihoods intervention with funding support from GIZ (PSD funding)-LMA assessment in Basra city, Abukhaseeb and Alzubair conducted in Feb 2019.
BASRA CONTEXTBasra Population: Approximately 4 millionPre-dominant livelihoods: Agriculture (over 70% of the population)• Water Salinity : Upstream damming on Tigris and Euphrates rivers by Turkey
causing low water levels, saline intrusion (drainage channels with high salinities and tidal influence from the Gulf)- unfit for human, livestock and crop production and other industrial purposes
• Northern districts (Al Quarna) dependent on river for agriculture (wheat, vegetable production). Southern districts affected by salinity/contamination (Agriculture halted except in Al Zubair). Al Zubair has alterative water sources
Context cont’d…• Climate change : persistent droughts, Fertile land is lost to desertification, • Rural to urban migration. Farmers turned from producers to consumers.
Population growth of Basra city leading to heightened tensions and competition over resources and employment opportunities
• Agricultural land undergoing re-zonal into residential in affected areas.• Longstanding grievances towards political, corruption, government neglect and
unemployment: • Marginalized (unequal distribution of oil resources…)• Socioeconomic vulnerability due to water crisis (low income, high debt):• Threatened livelihoods of marginalized communities fuels recruitment into armed
military groups.
LIVELIHOODS GAPS ANALYSISAGRICULTURAL LIVELIHOODS NEEDS:• Reduced agricultural production due to
water salinity (Farmers migrating to city tobecome unskilled workers)
• Limited government support to farmers toaccess agricultural inputs (seeds, tools,fertilisers, pesticides, greenhouses)
• Clogged irrigation canals and non-functional water pumping stations
• Dysfunctional government extensionservice systems limiting access toextension services for farmers on improvedfarming techniques.
Livelihoods needs/Gap analysis cont’d...• Insufficient/Limited livelihoods opportunities – youth (ex-soldiers) and women • Lack of appropriate skills among youth (Excessive unskilled manpower)• Women unable to contribute to household income (lack skills, curltural
limitations...)• Loss of livelihoods assets: High livestock mortality due to poor water quality
and limited access to animal feed in areas adversely affected by the water salinity.
• Lack of access to finance to start or boost livelihoods strategies (MSME).• Negative coping stratgeies (sale of productive assets e.g livestock, land),
Youth recruited into armed milary groups).
NRC livelihoods Project Basra• Objective: To promote household economic resilience and increase capacity of
affected population in the south of Basra to secure livelihoods in the mediumand long term.
• Project Duration: 7 months (1/1/2019 – 31/07/2019)• Number of BNF: Direct :500 (350 business support and 150 technical and
vocational training for youth, women and men) Indirect : 3,000
• Location: South Basra (Abukhaseeb and Al Zubair)Target Group • Host communities, IDPs, Returnees from third countries (outside Iraq)• Youth, men and women (16 to 35 years old)
Association of Agriculture engineers• Business skills training
(entrepreneurship skills-farming as a business).-chamber of commerce
• Provision of agricultural inputs (seeds, tools, fertilisers and plastic sheets for low tunnel greenhouses)
Main Livelihoods activities
2. Employment support (Skills developmentand job referrals): 150BNF• Labour market assessment (identify market
demanded skills and growth sectors with highincome generating opportunities)
• Technical and vocational training at VTC inBasra and Abukhaseeb (Male youth: weldingand electrical maintenance and repair;Women: Design& Tailoring).
• Provision of support kit• Employability and soft skills training• Partnerships with private sectors and Job
referrals
Key success to date• Farmers using acquired skills and inputs to engaged in market-led vegetable
production• Graduated 135 beneficiaries (66 sewing, 30 electrical and 39 welding) out
150BNF (Training for 15 remaining beneficiaries ongoing)• Identified businesses for job referrals of trained beneficiaries 11 businesses willing to employ (36) of our welding beneficiaries . 16 businesses willing to employ (64) of our sewing beneficiaries. 11 businesses willing to employ (28) of our electrical establishmentbeneficiaries
• Activities still ongoing and Project evaluation planned in September 2019.
Challenges• Delays in approvals of MOUs by government departments
(MoLSA, Governor’s office)• Difficult to fund raise for Basra due to Donor priorities
(direct conflict affected areas)• Cultural constraints affected women participation in the
program• High livelihoods needs Vs current partner capacity• Limited training service providers (Business development)
Opportunities in Basra• Agricultural infrastructures (irrigation canals) and water access for irrigation
exist in North of Basra and Al Zubair to support Agricultural livelihoods• Presence of Oil companies in Basra (currently the main employers)• Cross border trade with Iran• Existence of vocational training institutions (VTC/MoLSA and Youth sports
centers)• Markets are functional • Stable security situation and easy access to all the districts• High level of cooperation from local authorities (once project approval obtained
from Governors office)• Low reported rates of migration hence suitable for long term economic recovery
programs
NRC Livelihoods response Strategy for Basra: 2019 - 2020Main Focus on Economic Security: 1. Agricultural value chain development: Rehabilitation of the agriculture sector and relaunch employment through market-based initiatives• Technical agricultural innovation and extension
trainings for farmers (Al Qurna and Al Zubair)• Support to actors along agricultural VC and auxiliary
service providers (Trainings and grants)• Agricultural infrastructure rehablitation- irrigation
canal, pumping stations through CFW• Formation of marketing assocations and Market
linkages2. MSME development (Non Agric. Sectors different from 1 above)• In-depth Market analysis (identify gaps and potential BiZ)• Business development and soft skills trainings • provision of business grants for start-up or scale up of
Micro, small and medium scale enterprises/businesses
3. Employment support initiatives • Labour Market Assesment (South and North of Basra)• Skills development (VT, Apprentice/on-job training) in non-
agricultural sectors for wage employment• Provision of startup kits or grants to TVET graduates for self-
employment• Job placement opportunties4. Partnerships and capacity building of local NGOs, private and public institutions. • Partner capacity assessment (NNGO, chamber of commerce
etc)• Action plan for capacity building • Private sector Engagement in the activities (technical,
administration, policies development, in-kind and financial support) including apprenticeships and job placements.
• Partnership with government institutions (chamber of commerce, MoLSA, DOA, Youth and sports)
Recommendations to partners• High livelihoods needs among Youth and women hence should be prioritised in livelihoods
programs in Basra.• Cultural dynamics to be considered in programming (women face challenges to freely work in
the market/public places)- consider Homebased IGA and specific courses for skills development.• Opportunities for agricultural value chain development, employment support, SME development.• Explore partnerships with private sectors for Apprenticeships /on-job training and job
placements• Potential sectors to target: Agriculture (Al Zubair, Al qurna), construction, service (including
salon, electrical maintenance and tailoring)-Avoid oversaturating one sector.• Youth Skill development in sectors that meet the demand in the local market: Men : welding,
electrical maintenance and repair, air conditioning maintenance and repair, Carpentry,plumbing, automotive services. women:, Hairdressing, Photography and Tailoring
• Factor in possible delays in project approvals and MOU signing in project planning.
