"... working out of poverty"

Unemployment and underemployment are a serious problem in developing countries and transition states, and are one of the main causes of poverty on an individual level. Many governments thus intent to face up to this major challenge. In the international development-policy debate, the promotion of employment has, however, hitherto been an objective of at most secondary importance.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) now aims to change this, and contracted the GIZ (former GTZ) at the end of 2001 to implement a project entitled "Employment-oriented Strategies and Projects".

The GIZ therefore seeks to promote employment oriented approaches in the german and international development cooperation. For this purpose the advisory project develops country studies and concept papers, participates in strategy consultancies as well as project examinations and maintains an intensive dialogue with important international donors. The aim is to identify and advance successful strategies which increase employment in general and specifically youth employment. The project is furthermore concerned with developing and improving methods to measure the impacts of implemented strategies.

Here is one example of our work in this field: In a country study performed in Honduras, the project clearly illustrated the correlation between unemployment, underemployment and poverty. Thanks to this evidence and the intensive consultancy services provided, it proved possible to mainstream a greater employment orientation in the BMZ's strategy paper on economic development, which is binding for all ongoing and planned projects with Honduras.

Our internet platform Employment Expert Net informs about the work of the advisory project and serves as a discussion forum for employment-oriented themes.

On behalf of