Youth employment intensive investment in Gambia

In 2018, the ILO launched the project “Employment Creation for Youth to Build Sustainable Peace in The Gambia” in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment of The Gambia (MOTIE) with financial support from the Government of Japan.

The project gives a specific focus on employment creation for youth in employment-intensive infrastructure construction works, which immediately provides a large number of employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled young people.

The project selected infrastructures which directly contribute to the agriculture, tourism, or fishery sector, which are the drivers of national economic growth and sustainable employment creation in the labour market.

The project also promotes the use of locally available materials, and almost all the materials for the construction so far (as of October 2018) are Gambian-made. As an exit strategy, the sustainability of the project impact is highlighted through the provision of skills training and entrepreneurship support for all the workers under the project.

The project also reinforces technical knowledge transfer to the country. An International NGO as an implementation partner, the Community Road Empowerment (CORE), brings the Do-nou technology which is newly introduced to The Gambia as an effective employment-intensive approach with the use of local materials, where four young Gambian engineers are recruited in the implementing team and taking a lead of knowledge transfer and the sustainable application of the technology in The Gambia.

The ILO advocates for “decent work” through promoting occupational safety and health (OSH) and decent work conditions. Promoting equal opportunities is underlined, ensuring the direct beneficiaries to be 50% of women and 50% of men, with the integration of returnees and people with disabilities.

The project is part of the Jobs for Peace and Resilience (JPR) flagship programme  of the ILO and also contributes to the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth . It directly relates to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , and especially to goals 8 “Decent Work and Economic Growth”, 5 “Gender Equality”, 9 “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure”, 10 “Reduced Inequalities” and 16 “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”.

The ILO has been supporting the Government of The Gambia on youth employment promotion through EIIP approach.

The Decent Work Country Programme 2015-2017 of The Gambia indicates “Youth employment opportunities, especially for young women and youths, increased through labour intensive approaches in public work programmes” as Outcome 1.4 to take measures for the immediate creation of jobs for youth, together with the increase of employability and livelihood opportunities.

In 2007, the ILO and UNDP assisted the Government of The Gambia to launch the GAMBJOBS, a national vehicle to address youth unemployment and poverty and operationalize the National Employment Policy and the National Employment Action plan.

Source-Youth news