ILO and Government of Bangladesh launch skills and economic livelihoods project for Cox’s Bazar women and youth
The project Leaving No One Behind: Improving Skills and Economic Opportunities for the Women and Youth in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh (ISEC), was launched by ILO Bangladesh and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
It aims to give women, youth, ethnic and religious minorities, as well as persons with disabilities skills and competencies that will increase their participation in the labour market, especially in non-traditional sectors and occupations.
“This project is considered a major initiative by the Department of Youth Development as a focused project implemented in one particular district,” said Md. Zahid Ahsan Russel, State Minister for Youth. “By 2030, it will help to significantly reduce the number of youth not in education, employment, or training from 28.88 per cent in 2016 to three per cent.”
The project, funded by the Governments of Canada and the Netherlands, will involve a wide range of stakeholders in skills development, employment generation and business development, including technical and vocational educational training (TVET) institutions, BRAC, UNDP and FAO.
“Canada is pleased to be supporting efforts building the resilience of communities in Cox’s Bazar, who continue to be impacted by a protracted regional crisis. Women’s economic empowerment is key to sustainable economic growth; we are pleased to be working with our partners to build the skills of women and youth, in line with Bangladesh’s own National Skills Development Policy. We invite other countries to join us in this effort,” said Lilly Nicholls, the High Commissioner of Canada in Bangladesh.
The ISEC Project will equip the host communities with relevant skills through market-driven interventions including providing business development services, competency-based training, and apprenticeships.
“The Netherlands is pleased to extend its support to Decent Work and social cohesion in Bangladesh to the communities of Cox’s Bazar because we believe no one should be left behind – not women, not youth, not persons with disabilities, no one,” said Thijs Woudstra, chargé d'affaires of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Bangladesh.
It will contribute towards SDG 4 – Inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all; SDG 5 – gender equality and empowerment of women and girls; and SDG 8 – decent work and economic growth.
“The world of work is changing rapidly and all the people of Bangladesh, especially women and youth in areas that are lagging behind on key development indicators like Cox’s Bazar, must be equipped with skills that will enable them start successful businesses as well as take advantage of job opportunities arising from increased automation, digitalization and artificial intelligence,” said Tuomo Poutiainen, the ILO Country Director for Bangladesh.
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