(Women Gateway)

Eighty-five per cent of unemployed in Bahrain are females who fulfill the criteria to get the monthly assistance as part of the unemployment insurance scheme.

The Minister of Labour Dr Majid bin Mohsen Al Awali said in a statement yesterday that 2931 Bahrainis are entitled for the assistance, including 2582 females.

The assistance is given only for Bahraini unemployed, want and capable to take up jobs, don’t run private businesses and not studying.

The minister said that of total number 1159 of the beneficiaries are university graduates and 1772 are high school graduates and school dropout.

When the assistance started to be given early this year, there were 8000 unemployed and were given assistance worth of BD1 million, but the number of unemployed slashed by more than the half because of the government’s National Employment Programme, he said.

According to the scheme BD150 is giving for university graduates and high school unemployed get BD120 for six months until they would be recruited in suitable jobs.

The scheme was introduced in September 2007 and it is the first of its kinds in the region as it impose 1 per cent tax on salaries of Bahrainis and residents working in public and private companies.

The tax is allocated for the monthly assistances and training for jobseekers as well as supporting low-paid locals by providing them with BD50 to increase their salaries.

“The scheme with other employment and training programmes reduced the unemployment rates to 2 per cent and we are expecting a decline in the number of jobseekers in the coming months,” the minister said.

“The total budget of the scheme is BD21 million and will include many employment projects as well as training for Bahraini employees to provide them with better career progression chances.”

The ministry has declined the applications of many jobseekers for not meeting the criteria and they could review reasons for the rejections with the concern bodies.