Cursor International executes projects and collaboration activities across several industries.
By John Lee.
Demonstrators have reportedly caused disruption at oil facilities in Dhi Qar on Wednesday.
According to Anadolu Agency, dozens of university graduates gathered at the Al-Gharraf oilfield to demand employment.
A local resident is quoted as saying that applications for jobs at the field had received no reply.
(Source: Anadolu Agency)
The post Protesters disrupt Gharraf Oil Field first appeared on Iraq Business News.
ILO workshop with tripartite partners sheds light on maternity protection in Iraq
A one day workshop funded by the European Union focusing on maternity protection was organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Baghdad on Tuesday (November 2).
The workshop, which brought together representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the women’s department in the Ministry of Industry and Minerals, employers’ and workers’ representatives, is part of efforts to support progress towards Iraq’s ratification of ILO Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183).
The convention seeks to ensure that the right to work and rights at work of all employed women are adequately protected during maternity and beyond. It sets standards for health protection, maternity leave, benefits, nursing, employment protection and non-discrimination.
ILO specialists on gender, social security and International Labour Standards held sessions, which focused on the key provisions of ILO Convention No.183; gaps in the legal and regulatory framework for maternity protection; the role of social security in guaranteeing maternity protection; and the broader implications of maternity protection for gender equality and women’s participation in the labour market. The event also shed light on Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102) .
With support from the European Union, the ILO, together with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), are implementing a joint programme with the Government of Iraq to reform social protection in the country.
The ILO, through the joint programme, is providing technical support in the development of the draft retirement and social security law. The draft law is intended to replace the current Social Security Law No. 39 of 1971. If passed, the draft law will bring in several changes that would make the Iraqi social security legislation closer to meeting the minimum requirements of International Labour Standards.
“The ongoing efforts for the ratification of Convention No.183 and Convention No.102 will enhance and increase women’s access to decent work in Iraq,” said Maha Kattaa, ILO Country Coordinator in Iraq.
(Source: UN)
The post ILO workshop on Maternity Protection in Iraq first appeared on Iraq Business News.
COVID-19 Dealt Heavy Blows to Iraqi Labour Market, Enterprises in 2020: IOM, FAO, ITC Study
In early April, Iraq surpassed 900,000 COVID-19 cases.
Necessary efforts to contain the spread of the virus throughout 2020 led to a reduction in economic activity; compounded by pre-existing economic challenges, drops in oil prices and the public health COVID-19 crisis, it is estimated that Iraq’s economy contracted by 9.5 per cent in 2020.
To measure losses and investigate how small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iraq are coping with the economic impact of COVID-19, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the International Trade Center (ITC) conducted a panel study in 2020 on 893 SMEs representing 16 sectors in 15 governorates in Iraq.
The study focused on the food and agriculture sector in order to determine variance in outcomes and effects on these firms when compared to non-agricultural businesses. The primary data used in this study was collected using ITC’s COVID-19 corporate survey.
The new report Panel Study: Impact of COVID-19 on Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Iraq showcases the main findings from three rounds of data collection, covering the effect of border closures and lockdowns on revenue, production, and employment; accessibility of resources or ability to sell products; and mechanisms adopted to cope with the crisis.
Almost all firms in the study reported a decline in production or sales between February 2020, the pre-COVID-19 period, and the end of the year. Firms suffered large losses in revenue early on (an average decline of 67% by June).
Although revenue partially recovered between July and October, it did not reach pre-pandemic levels (firms reported a revenue drop on average of 23% between February and November). SMEs also reported incurring new debt over the year due to the pandemic, primarily through informal means such as borrowing from friends and family.
The labour market also suffered due to COVID-19. On average the number of employees in SMEs reduced by 27 per cent between February and June. By August, employment numbers began to recover but remained below pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2020, with the number of male and female employees, including full- and part-time, decreasing on average by seven per cent between February and November.
Furthermore, the reduction in employment temporarily widened the gender gap in the labour market. In February, there was 1 woman for every 15 men working in the surveyed SMEs. The gap reached 1 woman for every 19 men by August, but then decreased to 1 for 13 in November 2020.
Over the course of the study period, the mechanisms SMEs adopted to cope with the financial difficulties of the pandemic changed. Initially, SMEs laid off employees. Later, requesting leniency in repaying financial responsibilities and increasing marketing efforts emerged as the dominant strategies. In June, more than half of SMEs’ reported being at risk of shutting down permanently (65%). By December, those reporting this risk reduced to less than a third (31%).
The same 893 SMEs were surveyed three times in 2020: 22 June to 7 July, 9 to 18 September, and 29 November to 15 December.
The study was funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) and the European Union.
(Source: UN)
The post COVID-19 hits Iraqi Labour Market, Enterprises first appeared on Iraq Business News.
Sweden reaffirms partnership with UNDP to support vulnerable Iraqis
The Government of Sweden, represented by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a three-year, SEK 140 million* (US$ 16.4 million) agreement to further support vulnerable communities in Iraq.
Sweden’s contribution will be channelled through UNDP’s Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS), which implements fast-track initiatives in areas liberated from ISIL. This is Sweden’s sixth contribution to UNDP’s FFS, bringing its total support to US$60.5 million, since the Facility was founded in 2015.
Based on stabilization priorities identified by national counterparts, FFS works to quickly restore essential public infrastructure, provides short-term employment opportunities, boost local livelihoods and economies, capacity support, and facilitates peaceful reconciliation in communities liberated from ISIL.
“This month marks three years since Iraq was officially liberated from ISIL. Yet 1.28 million Iraqis remain displaced. Our support to Iraqi authorities and citizens is critical to meet the needs of internally displaced persons returning to their areas of origin, especially considering the disproportionately negative impact of COVID-19 on these vulnerable groups,” says the UNDP Resident Representative for Iraq, Zena Ali Ahmad.
“We are extremely grateful to Sweden for this critical additional contribution, and its unwavering support to stability in Iraq,” adds Ms. Ali-Ahmad.
“Sweden remains committed to support the stabilization efforts in Iraq, especially in order to facilitate the return of remaining internally displaced persons. We emphasize the importance of gender equality, human rights and sustainable development in all of these programmes, including a conflict perspective promoting social cohesion in the communities,” says the Head of the MENA Division at Sida, Eva Gibson Smedberg.
With the support of 28 partners, including Sweden, FFS has completed over 2,650 stabilization projects in Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Ninewa and Salah al-Din, benefitting nearly 11 million people.
(Source: UN)
The post Sweden, UNDP supporting Vulnerable Iraqis first appeared on Iraq Business News.
By John Lee.
The Iraqi Cabinet held its weekly meeting on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, at which it agreed to:
(Source: Govt of Iraq)
The post Iraqi Cabinet Approves Loans from Saudi Arabia first appeared on Iraq Business News.
UNICEF aims to train 30,000 primary health care workers in Iraq in efforts to prevent and control Covid-19 infection
With numbers soaring since early June, as of the end of August Iraq has confirmed 231,177 cases of COVID-19 and 6959 deaths.
To stem the tide against the pandemic, UNICEF is supporting the training of an estimated 30,000 health care providers at the primary care level, with the aim of disseminating key information about COVID-19 infection, prevention and control, with a special focus on preventing infection among health providers.
Iraq is using a cascade approach for this massive exercise, with online training of 132 national officials from the Ministry of Health over four days in July, and over 580 personnel from the Primary Health Care departments at governorate- and district-level last week.
These subnational personnel will proceed to train primary care staff in person in coming weeks, thereby ensuring that their newly acquired knowledge is shared widely with other frontline health workers.
“Frontline health workers are the unsung heroes in Iraq’s fight against COVID-19. Day after day, they continue to show up and provide critical services to those most in need, risking their lives,” said Paula Bulancea, UNICEF’s Deputy Representative in Iraq.
“This training will build on UNICEF’s ongoing support to health workers and vulnerable communities in Iraq as we work together and with all of our partners in government, the World Health Organization, and in non-government organizations, to control this deadly virus,” Dr. Bulancea added.
The cascade training will cover the needs of health workers providing immunization, maternal and neonatal care and nutrition services. It will also focus on water and sanitation in the primary health care setting in the context of COVID19.
“Simple acts such as washing your hands after seeing every patient, ensuring that you maintain social distancing with caregivers when vaccinating a child, and wearing a mask at all times will go a long way in ensuring that the safety of healthcare workers isn’t compromised on the job,” remarked Dr. Bulancea.
In addition to training health workers, UNICEF has:
(Source: UN)
The post UNICEF aims to Train 30,000 Healthcare Workers first appeared on Iraq Business News.
By Al-Monitor staff. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
Survey: Displaced Iraqis experiencing job losses, food shortages amid pandemic
The majority of displaced Iraqis have experienced job losses, food shortages and more during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey by humanitarian organizations working in the country.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green announced the first tranche of recipients under USAID’s New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) on Thursday during his remarks at the Accord Network’s Annual Forum.
The organizations will carry out programs that improve global health outcomes in USAID’s partner countries, and assist populations in the Republic of Iraq that are recovering from the genocide perpetrated by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Administrator Green launched the NPI in May 2019 to expand and diversify USAID’s partner base and change the way the Agency does business. By working with new or underutilized partners, the Agency hopes to bring more innovative approaches to U.S. foreign assistance; focus on strengthening capacity and commitment in partner countries by tapping into existing networks of community- and faith-based organizations; and reach new populations.
Administrator Green also announced a new $18 million award to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support the return and recovery of displaced religious and ethnic minority communities in the Nineveh Plains and Western Nineveh Province. Long-time USAID partner Samaritan’s Purse will receive $9 million of that total.
New USAID Assistance Through the NPI Direct to Local Iraqi Groups That Are Helping Victims of ISIS Genocide
USAID is awarding small grants through the NPI that total approximately $4 million to six local groups in Northern Iraq to help religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS. The new NPI implementers in Northern Iraq are the following:
Philadelphia Organization for Relief and Development: The award will establish a community center in the town of Qaraqosh to provide services for people with disabilities, training in employment skills, child care, and a community food bank.
Catholic University of Erbil: The award will provide classes in business language and computer software for widows, victims of abuse, and former captives of ISIS.
Top Mountain: The award will support a business incubator and employment program for Iraqi youth, which will promote entrepreneurship, provide business training, and build commercial networks.
Shlama Foundation: The award seeks to improve job opportunities through training engineers on the installation on solar power, provide electricity for families, and install solar-powered pumps for farms and street lighting for villages.
Beth Nahrain: The award will help re-establish a local, women-led organization decimated by ISIS. The organization will also provide small-business vocational training to women in the Nineveh Plains.
Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights: The award will provide trauma-rehabilitation and resilience services to survivors of genocide; legal services and programs in justice/reparations; and activities to promote inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue.
The United States remains committed to supporting persecuted religious and ethnic minorities in Northern Iraq. With these new awards, the total assistance the U.S. Government has provided since 2017 in Northern Iraq is now more than $400 million. These programs complement H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018, which passed with bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress and which President Donald J. Trump signed into law on December 11, 2018. Additional U.S. humanitarian assistance has also benefited the same Iraqi communities.
New Funding for the IOM and Samaritan’s Purse to Help Victims of ISIS Genocide
Administrator Green also announced at the Accord Network that Samaritan’s Purse will receive $9 million as a part of a new $18 million award to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to support the return and recovery of displaced religious and ethnic minority communities in the Nineveh Plains and Western Nineveh Province in Iraq.
New USAID Assistance in Global Health Through the NPI
Administrator Green also announced two new awards under the Agency’s NPI for global health. These awards, which total $68 million, will leverage the expertise and reach of local and locally established civil society and faith- and community-based organizations to increase the quality, access, and sustainability of health care.
The new NPI implementers for global health are the following:
World Relief: Working with local partners, World Relief will expand and leverage existing community networks in four countries to help strengthen maternal, reproductive, and child health at the local level.
Palladium International: This program will help reach USAID’s goal of increasing access to, and the uptake of, high-quality health care across priority areas, in line with USAID’s Journey to Self-Reliance. The partner will provide sub-awards to local organizations, along with mentoring and technical support to strengthen their capacity. Palladium will be expected to pass sixty-five percent of the total award to new and underutilized sub-awardees.
(Source: USAID)
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green announced the first tranche of recipients under USAID’s New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) on Thursday during his remarks at the Accord Network’s Annual Forum.
The organizations will carry out programs that improve global health outcomes in USAID’s partner countries, and assist populations in the Republic of Iraq that are recovering from the genocide perpetrated by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Administrator Green launched the NPI in May 2019 to expand and diversify USAID’s partner base and change the way the Agency does business. By working with new or underutilized partners, the Agency hopes to bring more innovative approaches to U.S. foreign assistance; focus on strengthening capacity and commitment in partner countries by tapping into existing networks of community- and faith-based organizations; and reach new populations.
Administrator Green also announced a new $18 million award to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support the return and recovery of displaced religious and ethnic minority communities in the Nineveh Plains and Western Nineveh Province. Long-time USAID partner Samaritan’s Purse will receive $9 million of that total.
New USAID Assistance Through the NPI Direct to Local Iraqi Groups That Are Helping Victims of ISIS Genocide
USAID is awarding small grants through the NPI that total approximately $4 million to six local groups in Northern Iraq to help religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS. The new NPI implementers in Northern Iraq are the following:
Philadelphia Organization for Relief and Development: The award will establish a community center in the town of Qaraqosh to provide services for people with disabilities, training in employment skills, child care, and a community food bank.
Catholic University of Erbil: The award will provide classes in business language and computer software for widows, victims of abuse, and former captives of ISIS.
Top Mountain: The award will support a business incubator and employment program for Iraqi youth, which will promote entrepreneurship, provide business training, and build commercial networks.
Shlama Foundation: The award seeks to improve job opportunities through training engineers on the installation on solar power, provide electricity for families, and install solar-powered pumps for farms and street lighting for villages.
Beth Nahrain: The award will help re-establish a local, women-led organization decimated by ISIS. The organization will also provide small-business vocational training to women in the Nineveh Plains.
Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights: The award will provide trauma-rehabilitation and resilience services to survivors of genocide; legal services and programs in justice/reparations; and activities to promote inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue.
The United States remains committed to supporting persecuted religious and ethnic minorities in Northern Iraq. With these new awards, the total assistance the U.S. Government has provided since 2017 in Northern Iraq is now more than $400 million. These programs complement H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018, which passed with bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress and which President Donald J. Trump signed into law on December 11, 2018. Additional U.S. humanitarian assistance has also benefited the same Iraqi communities.
New Funding for the IOM and Samaritan’s Purse to Help Victims of ISIS Genocide
Administrator Green also announced at the Accord Network that Samaritan’s Purse will receive $9 million as a part of a new $18 million award to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to support the return and recovery of displaced religious and ethnic minority communities in the Nineveh Plains and Western Nineveh Province in Iraq.
New USAID Assistance in Global Health Through the NPI
Administrator Green also announced two new awards under the Agency’s NPI for global health. These awards, which total $68 million, will leverage the expertise and reach of local and locally established civil society and faith- and community-based organizations to increase the quality, access, and sustainability of health care.
The new NPI implementers for global health are the following:
World Relief: Working with local partners, World Relief will expand and leverage existing community networks in four countries to help strengthen maternal, reproductive, and child health at the local level.
Palladium International: This program will help reach USAID’s goal of increasing access to, and the uptake of, high-quality health care across priority areas, in line with USAID’s Journey to Self-Reliance. The partner will provide sub-awards to local organizations, along with mentoring and technical support to strengthen their capacity. Palladium will be expected to pass sixty-five percent of the total award to new and underutilized sub-awardees.
(Source: USAID)
By Adnan Abu Zeed for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
The Iraqi Cabinet announced Aug. 12 that it has approved a regulation by the Ministry of Labor requiring that 50% of foreign oil company employees working in the country be Iraqis.
The move followed mass demonstrations in Basra calling for better public services, including clean water and working and reliable electricity, and job opportunities for the unemployed in the city. Iraq’s largest oil reserves lie beneath Basra province.
Basra Governor Assaad al-Eidani had on July 31 announced that an agreement had been concluded with the foreign oil companies to secure job opportunities for Basra residents. Days earlier, the Associated Press reported Deputy Governor Dhirgham al-Ajwadi saying that the unemployment rate in Basra, population 4 million, had risen sharply to at least 30%.
On July 13, demonstrators had stormed the headquarters of the Russian oil company LUKOIL at Basra’s West Qurna 2 field, one of the largest, leading workers to pack their belongings. A number of them were evacuated by helicopter.
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(Picture Credit: Ahmed Mahmoud)