Uzbekistan launches youth employment promotion project

The United Nations Development Program in Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations held a launch ceremony for the joint project “Promoting Youth Employment in Uzbekistan”, which will be carried out with the financial support of the trust fund “Russian Federation - UNDP for Development”.

33% of the population of Uzbekistan are children under 18 years of age, 24% are young people aged from 18 to 30 years. The issue of creating jobs is the most important part of the Action Strategy on Five Priority Development Areas 2017-2021.

The eighth national goal of sustainable development of Uzbekistan envisages the promotion of sustainable and all-round balanced growth through increasing labor productivity and providing employment for men and women.

As a complement to these efforts, UNDP, together with the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations, is launching the project “Promoting youth employment in Uzbekistan”. It aims to boost employment in the republic, especially among young people (college and university graduates, young women, etc.) by assisting the government of Uzbekistan in implementing a number of labor market initiatives.

The project is designed for three years, during which a number of activities will be carried out in three main directions (components):

1. Support and promotion of youth employment through active labor market policies, especially among college and university graduates, young women, returning migrant workers and vulnerable groups;

2. Promotion of youth entrepreneurship and business startups;

3. Empowering the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations to provide youth employment promotion services.

Implementation of the project and its activities implies close cooperation with a wide range of government organizations (ministries, departments, local authorities), non-governmental organizations (such as, Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Trade Unions), local experts and think tanks, as well as international and bilateral donors who are currently supporting the government in this area.