Labour Market Opportunities and Challenges
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LABOUR MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES Kalar, Sulaymaniyah Governorate IOM Iraq – 2019 This programme is supported by: Labour Market Opportunities and Challenges IOM Disclaimer List of Acronyms The opinions expressed in the report are those of BEP Business Expansion Package the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views BSP Business Support Package of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The designations employed and the presentation of material CIP Community Implementation Plan throughout the report do not imply the expression of any CoC Chamber of Commerce opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning the CoI Chamber of Industries legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. CRC Community Resource Centre ESP Employment Support Package IOM is committed to the principle that humane and FGD Focus Group Discussion orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental organization, IOM acts with its partners FT Farming Training in the international community to: assist in meeting the IDP Internally Displaced Person operational challenges of migration; advance understanding ISIL Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold the human IOM International Organization for Migration dignity and well-being of migrants. JP Job Placement LMA Labour Market Assessment Contact: For more information on the Return and Recovery Unit (RRU) programme and current activities taking place in NFI Non-Food Items Iraq, please contact: [email protected] MoLSA Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs OJT On-the-Job Training Main Office in Baghdad UNAMI Compound DIWAN 2 SME Small and Medium Enterprise International Zone, Baghdad, Iraq. VT Vocational Training Tel: +3908 3105 2600 ext. 5857/5928 E-mail: [email protected] 2 International Organization for Migration Table of Contents IOM Disclaimer 2 List of Acronyms 2 1. Executive Summary 4 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Kalar Key Findings 1.2.1 Challenges and Opportunities Facing Jobseekers 1.2.2 Challenges and Opportunities Facing Job-seekers 1.2.3 Challenges and Opportunities Facing Youth 1.2.4 Challenges and Opportunities Facing Consumers 1.3. Overall Recommendations 2. Location and Study Overview 5 2.1. Introduction 2.2. LMA Overview 2.3. Kalar District Overview 5 2.3.1. Location and Demographics 2.3.2. Security and Displacement 2.3.3. Local Concerns 2.4. LMA Methodology Overview 2.3.1. Key Informant Interviews 6 2.3.2. Youth Focus Group Discussions 2.3.3. Job-seeker Surveys 2.3.4. Employer Surveys 2.3.5. Consumer Surveys 3. Findings 6 3.1. Key Informant Interviews 3.2. Youth Needs and Priorities 7 3.2.1. Awbarik 3.2.2. Sangawiakan 3.2.3. Female youth from both Awbarik and Sangawiakan 3.3. Job-seeker Needs and Priorities 3.4. Employer Needs and Priorities 3.5. Consumer Needs and Priorities 8 4.Community Intervention Recommendations 9 5. Conclusions 9 3 Labour Market Opportunities and Challenges 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Introduction 1.3.2. Challenges and Opportunities facing Jobseekers • About 97% of jobseekers surveyed were unaware of any job With sub-offices across Iraq, jointly managed Community Resource centre or similar service in their community; and Centres (CRCs), and a presence within the Ministry of Labour • Labour migration was mentioned by 94% of respondents – to and Social Affairs’ sub-offices, IOM’s field presence allows for a nearby cities including Kalar city and Sulaymaniyah city. community-driven approach to recovery and development. Under its livelihoods programming, IOM works through a system of community engagement that has been refined through an iterative 1.3.3. Challenges and Opportunities facing Employers learning process and relies on stakeholder consultation throughout the design of sustainable livelihood activities. In order to inform the • Business status was mixed, with metalworkers most likely to design of market-led development interventions, a series of Labour categorize their business as not profitable and operating at a Market Assessments (LMAs) were conducted. In Sulaymaniyah loss; Governorate, Kalar district was selected for in-depth study. • Seventeen of surveyed employers were also open to the idea of training apprentices or mentioned experience doing this; and 1.2. Study components • Car mechanics, food industry workers, construction and tailoring businesses all mentioned difficulty in finding skilled This LMA consisted of 107 individual interviews and three youth employees. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with roughly 30 participants, conducted over a two-month period between December 2018 Recommendations: and January 2019. Avoid granting to too many metalworking businesses; and The LMAs are made up of both quantative and qualitative exercises Look to provide on the job training, including with some consisting of Key Informant Interviews, FGDs which targeted of the surveyed employers who expressed interest or young people and household surveys which targeted jobseekers, experience with this. employers and consumers. The LMA focused on the communities of Awbarik and Sangawiakan 1.3.4. Challenges and Opportunities facing Consumers in the town of Rizgari – which along with Kalar town are referred to as the “twin towns” of Rizgari-Kalar. A summary of key findings • Medical services were the most likely to be reported as hard is included below with some analysis of the findings followed by to find (by 45% of consumers); recommendations for future interventions. • Consumers were not found to not spend significantly more on rent, gas, or electricity in Kalar than in other surveyed market areas in Iraq; and 1.3. Kalar Key Findings • Consumers spend significantly less on food and transportation in Kalar than in other surveyed market areas in Iraq. 1.3.1. Challenges and Opportunities facing Youth • Youth reported that they felt more decent job opportunities 1.4. Overall Recommendations would influence their decision – or not –to join or not join the military; • Youth attending the FGDs agreed that there were some issues Sectors to Car mechanics, technology, English language, service of insecurity in their communities; they specifically mentioned target: sector jobs theft and kidnapping of children; Profile • The most needed trainings were identified as trainings on Youth, women, graduates, vulnerable groups computer skills, English language, and salon services for both to target: men and women; and • Frequently mentioned desirable jobs included service-sector • Avoid awarding grants to grocery stores or jobs. directly to the food sector; • Brainstorm on how to support temporary Notes: Recommendations: labour migration; and Focus Vocational Training (VT) on service sector jobs. • Contact factories to explore job placement possibilities. 4 International Organization for Migration 2. Location and Study Overview 2.1. Introduction Kalar. Rizgari was previously known as Smud, but its name changed following the Kurdish Uprising of 1991.1 Its twin town Kalar is Recognizing that the private sector is an engine for growth, IOM located just 10 km east, on the Sirwan River. works to create inclusive markets at the individual, community The district’s population is largely Kurdish. A 2018 Kurdistan and institutional level. At the individual level, IOM has prioritized Region Statistics Office (KRSO) document estimated the district’s support to micro enterprises, including providing business 2 population to be slightly over 200,000 but this figure may not development services (for example business advisory services) have taken into account informal housing and internally displaced and BSPs (including in-kind and cash support), all of which aim persons (IDPs). Other figures provide an estimation of the to increase income generation at the household level. For those population of the twin towns at approximately 250,000 (210,000 individuals who need capacity development support or who have in Kalar and 40,000 in Rizgari).3 specific backgrounds such as agriculture, IOM provides specialized skills development and training through Vocational Training (VT), 2.3.2 Security and Displacement Farming Training (FT) or On-the-Job Training (OJT), accompanied by employability assistance inclusive of in-kind items tailored to Kalar is one of several areas whose population grew during and enhance individual employability. For beneficiaries who already after Saddam Hussein’s “Anfal” campaign in 1986–1988. The possess relevant education or training and need to gain hands-on campaign aimed to systematically displace, disenfranchise, and work experience, IOM job placement and job matching initiatives according to several accounts, exterminate the Kurdish population link participants with businesses in growth sectors, and pays their in the north of Iraq.4/5 Smud, now Rizgari, was established as a salaries partially or fully for 3 to 6 months. relocation camp for Kurds who were forcefully displaced under the campaign. While the area has experienced relative stability since At the community level, IOM provides support to slightly larger then, the district’s IDP population grew rapidly during the Islamic businesses – small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – to support State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) incursions into and occupation long-term job creation and the expansion of local production of parts of western and northern Iraq. Thousands of IDPs arrived capacities. into Kalar in mid-June 2014, and more