Iftin Foundation, in partnership with
Somali Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Somali REN, officially
launched today Fursad Project, a Job Placement Scheme for Female
Graduates in Somalia.
According to baseline survey results released during the launching
ceremony held at Jazeera Hotel, Mogadishu, women employment is
relatively very low in the private sector. Among the industries
surveyed, education sector is the largest employer in Somalia, while
the telecoms is the lowest in terms of the percentage of women in the
workforce.
Fursad – opportunity in Somali – plans to encourage partnerships and
networking between the female graduates and private sector throughout
Somalia. To facilitate this, we have launched fursad.so, a web
platform that allows graduates to upload their CVs and employers to
search for best talents. In addition to the pool, Iftin has also
implemented Job Alert System through SMS that will let the subscribers
follow the available jobs.
Speaking at ceremony, the deputy chairperson of Somali Chamber, Mr.
Abdirahman Galambe, told that the Chamber has already been feeling the
need for such an initiative and piloted a small project with
remarkable success. “About two decades ago we have been advocating
for girls education at primary level; and about a decade ago we have
been advocating for girls education at university level. Now it is
time to advocate for their job placement,” said Abdirahman Ablal,
Chancellor of University of Somalia.
During the ceremony, three companies have expressed their commitment
to hire a total of eight female graduates in the next few weeks. Also
a number of NGOs were interested to hire interns through the system.
“We need local NGOs to commit themselves to hire a number of female
graduates, unless such commitment is made we may not resolve this
issue” said executive director of Somalia South Central Non-State
Actors (SOSCENSA).
Ali Mohamud, Chair of National Civil Service Commission, stated that
only 25% of civil servants are women with majority of them having no
educational background. He, however, maintained that there is a room
for more placements for women, both educated and non-educated.
Also a director from Ministry of Education and the director general of
the Ministry of Gender and Human Rights have all promised their full
support to the FURSAD project and highlighted the need for government
policies that promote women employment in both the public and private
sectors.
Closing the ceremony, Mr. Aweis Sheik Haddad, director general of
Ministry of Labor and Social Services, said: “We appreciate this
scheme and pledge our full support to this initiative. We will work
with Fursad project in addressing this challenge”.
