– UNDP Macedonia –

UNDP’s Employment Programme in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is an essential part of the country’s employment strategy designed to promote smart, sustainable and socially inclusive growth. It has a long-lasting experience of acting as a principal partner of the national counterparts in designing policies, building capacities, piloting of employment generation schemes and implementing programs to create jobs and improve livelihoods. Since 2007, over 8,700 new businesses have been created, 35% of which are run by women entrepreneurs and 31% by young people. A remarkable 70% of the companies created through the programme have remained active, and many have expanded. The current 2017 partnership agreement with the Government, with an allocated budget of USD 5,7 mill, foresees the implementation of a comprehensive set of employment measures that will help the unemployed – and particularly the disadvantaged groups – find decent and sustainable jobs.

UNDP also suppported the design and development of National Standards and Procedures for Verification of Adult Training Programmes and Adult Training Providers, to regulate and improve the competitiveness and quality of training programmes for adults. Since 2011 these activities have contributed to the alignment of training programmes to candidates’ diverse interests, while also focusing on the encouragement of the private sector engagement in the assessment of skills needs, participation, development and provision of training programmes.