Applications open for Employment Support Project

By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan has started accepting applications from citizens wishing to join the self-employment program implemented by the government jointly with the World Bank, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has reported.

The project aims to support the expansion of the self-employment program based on best international practices.

Thus, people with disabilities registered as unemployed, members of martyrs' and IDPs' families, recipients of targeted state social assistance, women, youth and other vulnerable groups will be involved in the project. The small enterprises will be created for them with the support of the World Bank.

The project covers the period of 2020-2025, and envisages to attract 22,000 unemployed. In addition, it is planned to attract 2,000 unemployed to the program this year.

At the first stage, the project will cover 27 cities and regions of Azerbaijan in 2020.

Earlier, in March, the World Bank approved $100 million loan to Azerbaijan to finance the project to support employment in the country.

The project designed for five years, aims to help the most vulnerable people in Azerbaijan to find a job and to promote self-employment opportunities in the country’s labor markets.

Additionally, Azerbaijan’s self-employment program under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection will cover 15,000 families in 2021. It should be noted that work is underway to help set up small businesses for 12,000 families under the self-employment program in 2020.

Azerbaijan also continues opening vocational education centers that are providing training courses for those who have difficulty in choosing a suitable job due to a lack of qualifications, as well as for those who need to change their profession due to a lack of work that matches their professional skills. Citizens who have successfully completed the training are issued certificates and then provided with employment in accordance with their acquired professional qualifications.