Project Summary 

This 5-year project aims to enhance capacities for the unemployed job-seekers from the vulnerable sections of the population and create opportunities for their productive employment within the formal labour market. This objective shall be achieved by applying a two-pronged approach: i) strengthening the capacity of policymakers and practitioners to design and implement effective Active Labour Market Measures (ALMM)s, including through the introduction and use of innovative mechanisms for evidence-based monitoring and impact assessment of ALMMs and ii) streamlining procedures and building institutional capacities for effective targeting, outreach and support to end-beneficiaries from the vulnerable groups in their efforts to become employed.

During the first year, the project will pilot the self-employment for persons with disabilities measure, aiming to support 500 persons with disabilities to set up sustainable businesses. The project will be implemented at national and regional/local levels. In addition to strengthening the entrepreneurial skills of the participants, it will provide social and work-oriented rehabilitation, taking into account their specific challenges and barriers to accessing the labour market. Although a pilot measure, the self-employment of persons with disabilities will be implemented in all regions of the country and will aim to build up the institutional basis and -State Employment Service (SES) staff capacity for effective implementation of the nation-wide programme of active labour market measure. Follow-up and additional activities intended to support the Government’s ALMM programme may be added to this project if requested by the Ministry Labour and Social Protection of the Population (MLSPP). Number of target beneficiaries as well as the amount of financial allocation beyond 2018 will be defined by the MLSPP in the course of the project implementation.

The Project shall be implemented under national implementation modality. The MLSPP will be the responsible executing entity. UNDP will be acting as Responsible Party to provide technical assistance, capacity development and operational support in the project implementation related to procurement, recruitment, contracting and execution of direct payments to suppliers under the conditions regulated by the Letter of Agreement on Service Provision and Project Support between the Government and UNDP. The project Steering Committee will be headed by the Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population and UNDP Resident Representative. The Government financial contribution to project in 2018 and beyond will be in national currency – AZN.
 

Project objectives

The overall objective of the project is to enhance the capacities and access to the formal labour market and productive employment for the unemployed job-seekers from the vulnerable sections of the population.

From a geographical perspective, the project has a countrywide scope, but will have a specific focus on economically disadvantaged and rural areas. The mechanisms and operational procedures, designed and piloted under this project, will provide a model for the effective delivery of other ALMMs, implemented by MLSPP, which target women or vulnerable categories of population

This objective will be achieved by applying a two-prong approach i.e.: 

1. Strengthening the capacity of policy makers and practitioners to design and implement effective ALMMs, including through the introduction and use of innovative mechanisms for evidence-based monitoring of the results and impact of ALMMs;
2. Streamlining procedures and building institutional capacities for effective targeting, outreach and support to end-beneficiaries from the vulnerable groups in their efforts to become self-employed.  

The overall project objective will be achieved through the implementation of the following three outputs:

• National and sub-national institutions have the necessary skills to effectively promote, implement and monitor ALMMs, using innovative solutions for monitoring and reporting;
• Vulnerable population, including persons with disability, receives tailored support for activation, social and work-oriented rehabilitation as well as mentoring for self-employment or employment into the formal labour market;
• Active labour market measures, including the self-employment contribute to productive employment and creation of sustainable businesses by the unemployed job-seekers from vulnerable sections of the population.