The document summarizes a study on promoting decent employment for youth in rural Egypt. Key findings include: 1) Lack of job opportunities, especially for girls and in non-agricultural sectors; 2) Poor working conditions without contracts or benefits; 3) Limited awareness of rights at work. Recommendations focus on: 1) Improving skills training and entrepreneurship programs; 2) Supporting business formalization and improved conditions; 3) Conducting awareness campaigns on rights; 4) Empowering youth and worker organizations. The study was conducted as part of Egypt's West Nuberia Rural Development Programme to enhance rural livelihoods.

1. Promoting Decent and Productive Employment
of Young People in Rural Areas: A Review of
Strategies and Programmes
West Nuberia Rural Development Programme - Egypt
Bassem S. Mina
ILO – IFAD National Consultant
April13th, 2012
1 1

2. Structure of the presentation
• Key info about the project in Egypt
• Key findings of the study on the decent work
• Key recommendations of the study in relation
to the four pillars of decent work
2 2

3. In Egypt
West Nuberia Rural Development Programme
(WNRDP)
• A 7 year initiative started on 2002 and
undertaken by:
– The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation
(MALR),
– International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD),
– The Italian Government
3 3

4. WNRDP – key facts
• Youth is not an explicit/ direct target group.
• Farmers& Agriculture entrepreneurs are the
main target groups.
4 4

5. Key Findings of
the Study
5 5

6. 1. Employment creation and
enterprise development
• Employment situation is unsatisfactory
– “I spent a lot of money to educate my son and he is not
able to find a proper job”
• Job opportunities are seasonal & related
to agriculture
• Majority of youth are not encouraged to
work in agriculture
– “We don’t make enough money, it is not a prestigious
work”
6 6

7. 1. Employment creation and
enterprise development
• Majority of girls are not allowed to work
out of the villages/ area
– “I am only allowed to work inside my village & with my
family”
• Very few opportunities in other sectors in
rural areas,
• Lack of appropriate financial services to
start-up new business.
7 7

8. Impact on decent work
Youth situation Same Better Worse
• Current employment 81% 19% 0%
• Finding an employment in the
73% 25% 2%
job market
• Professional skills 68% 30% 2%
8 8

9. 2. Working conditions and social
protection
• Youth mentioned that working conditions are
far from their satisfactions/ expectations
• lack of proper working conditions (Y, E & CL)
– Working opportunities are temporary and seasonal,
– No social and/ or health insurance,
– No contracts.
9 9

10. 2. Working conditions and social
protection
• Entrepreneurs are not able to offer decent
and sustainable jobs due to:
– Lack of business’ income,
– Business’ sustainability,
– Business’ difficulties.
• Lack of awareness/ knowledge about
working conditions (Y, E & CL)
– “I contribute with money in major accidents and this
the best that I know and do in this issue”
10 10

11. Impact on decent work
Youth situation Same Better Worse
• Wages 88% 8% 4%
• Working hours 90% 7% 3%
• Occupational safety &
health and other working 85% 14% 1%
conditions
• Existence of an mployment
90% 7.5% 2.5%
contract
• Social security 93.5% 2.5% 4%
11 11

12. 3. Rights at work
• Youth work is temporary and on a daily basis –
limited rights at work.
• Informal legal status of business leads to limited
workers’ rights,
• Good salaries and regular payment are still rare
• Very little awareness on workers’ rights and
entitlements at the level of:
– Workers
– Entrepreneurs
12 12

13. Impact on decent work
Rights % Note
a. Pension 1.5%
The one who answered
b. Health insurance 1.5% YES to these rights was
c. Unemployment 1.5% government officer
insurance
d. Leave 1.5%
e. None 94%
13 13

14. 4. Workers’ and employers’
organization and social dialogue
• Lack of awareness and knowledge
• Lack of exiting structure at community levels
• Workers confirmed that they don’t have a
negotiating power with employers
• Social dialogue
– No answers were received from the respondents on
this issue
14 14

15. Impact on decent work
Workers’ membership No. %
Workers members of trade unions 1 2%
Workers are not members of 54 93%
trade unions
Entrepreneurs’ membership No. %
Entrepreneurs members of 0 0%
employers organization
Workers are not members of 89 100%
employers organizations
15 15

16. Key Recommendations
of the Study
16 16

17. 1.Employment creation and
enterprise development
• Employability
– Understand existing gaps between HR situation to
business needs in rural areas (qualifications, youth
readiness, area’s potentiality, etc.)
– Link education and training to local needs to
overcome the gaps including entrepreneurship
training & skills development
17 17

18. 1.Employment creation and
enterprise development
• Enterprise development
– Support micro and small entrepreneurs to formalize
their business
– Reach out to existing and new businesses with
appropriate services to create and offer more jobs
– Establish pilot clusters of complementary of small
business in the same rural area (Y, E & CL)
– Introduce tailored financial & non-financial services
18 18

19. 2. Working condition and social
protection
• Integrate in early stages of education &
vocational training issues as occupational
safety & health and other working conditions
• Provide package of business support service
that include means to improve working
conditions
• Support the formalization of informal activities
– “I need to work with registered workshop, this should
improve my working conditions”
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20. 3. Rights at work
• Awareness and educational campaigns
• Agree on basic criteria (Code of Ethics) for
minimum rights in rural areas
– “I would like to ensure that I get my fair daily wages
by the end of my work”
• Creation of a knowledge and practice
sharing mechanisms in rural communities.
• Help employers improve their businesses’
management and performance.
20 20

21. 4. Workers and employers
organization & social dialogue
• Improve the efficiency of the CDAs and
empower youth groups to be more active
• Support the establishment of workers’
organizations, and youth & business
associations in rural areas
• Support initiatives to promote social dialogue
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22. THANK YOU
22 22