Promoting entrepreneurship and job skills with EURO EMPLEO
Honduras
he European Union and the Government of Honduras are committed to working together to eradicate poverty in that country through job creation.
Therefore, the EU has decided to accompany the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (SETRASS) in the implementation of its National Employment Policy, through the EURO EMPLEO programme, in order to improve the productive and competitive capacity of Honduran micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) and to strengthen the technical and professional skills of the Honduran labor force, particularly women and youth.
IDOM has carried out a series of activities around three key components:
The first component consists of promoting decent employment, and these actions have been developed:
- Updating of the National Employment Policy through a participatory process with workers and employers, and creation of its financial framework.
- Improving social protection by modernizing the collection system of the Honduran Social Security Institute (IHSS) and the Secretariat of Social Development (SEDESOL).
- Promoting green jobs through a national strategy for wildlife conservation.
For the second component, improving the labour market, IDOM has been working on:
- Developing a virtual platform with more than 50 courses to improve job skills.
- Strengthening access to the labor market, particularly for women, by improving 9 public daycare centers and 17 employment offices.
Finally, IDOM has played a key role in strengthening the competitiveness of MSMEs through the following activities:
- Design of a model for entrepreneurship and innovation training centers.
- Preparation of an action plan to simplify administrative processes for the formalization of MSMEs.
- Implementation of a new model for financial inclusion and microcredit to improve access to financing.
- Implementation of training programs to improve productivity and product diversification in 10 value chains.
- Proposed a new law to favor microenterprises in public procurement and agricultural marketing strategies.
As a result of the EURO EMPLEO programme, Honduran institutions involved in promoting employment have received various tools and resources, including strategies, reform proposals, action plans, process manuals, guidelines, as well as courses and training that they can replicate. These elements have enabled them to contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the Honduran business fabric and improving the efficiency of the labour market.
