WB evaluates implementation of project to support employment in Azerbaijan

Since the start of the Employment Support Project in Azerbaijan, 23% ($23.25 million) of the World Bank (WB) loan for $100 million have been disbursed, Report informs, citing the WB.

The project entered into force on August 17, 2020, and the first payment was made on October 7 of the same year.

“Overall, project implementation is on track and both implementation progress and progress towards achievement of Project Development Objective are satisfactory. Business trainings are being rolled out in batches and assets are being distributed to successful beneficiaries. Business coaching has also started for those beneficiaries who have received their assets,” reads the report.

As of end June 2022, there were over 6,500 beneficiaries participating in business trainings out of over 7,600 which have been screened as eligible for the program. The majority (over 60 percent) of the beneficiaries are women and youth, and the rest war veterans, IDPs, other vulnerable and TSA beneficiaries. As of end June 2022, over 5,800 beneficiaries have completed their business trainings and over 3,200 received their assets, according to the report.

“Those beneficiaries with assets have also started receiving coaching on business management. Asset distribution continues as assets are being delivered in batches, and beneficiaries complete the business trainings and their business plans. The businesses that are being supported include small manufacturing, food businesses, skin care, carpentry and tailoring to list a few,” the WB noted.

The total number of registered unemployed grew with COVID. Number of registered jobseekers who are placed in jobs for the first half of 2022: the total number of jobseekers was – 15 895; women- 5 640; youth – 5 597; IDP – 799.

The numbers include those who were eligible for “temporary cash benefits” which are now being taken out of the registers.

The number of newly registered jobseekers in January-June amounted to 10,330 people. As of December 31, 2021, as many as 29,264 were registered, and by the end of 2025, as many as 20,000 unemployed are expected.

According to the report, the development of individual action plans for newly registered job seekers who are at risk of long-term unemployment has not yet begun. As of December 31, 2025, it is planned to develop 3,200 plans.

The number of districts with local consultations on planning and implementation of activities will reach 52 by the end of 2025. In 2022, 9 face to face public hearings were organized in Shamakhi, Ganja, Tovuz and Gazakh, Imishli, Barda and Agdam and in Ujar and Kurdemir.

The goal of the project is to expand the self-employment program based on best practices and create small businesses for internally displaced persons registered as unemployed, recipients of targeted state social assistance, women, youth and other vulnerable groups at the expense of the World Bank. According to the project covering 2020-2025, during this period, 22,000 unemployed from these categories will be involved in the program. As of July 1, the number of such beneficiaries was 6,575 people, and in 2021 - 5,820 unemployed.

The project also provides for the application of innovative solutions in the implementation of the self-employment program, the training of employees of the State Employment Service under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, and the development of a strategy for the transition from targeted social assistance to self-employment.

The project consists of three components: enhancing the scope and effectiveness of the Self-Employment Program (SEP):(Cost $95.50M), strengthening employment services and programs:(Cost $2.00M) and Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation:(Cost $2.50M)