Preparation of an Employment Policy

Present policy-making and implementation environment as well as opting for a free trade regime and structural adjustments certainly lack employment consideration. They would not be able to generate sufficient demand for the productive employment of the existing labour force. Additional efforts are needed to generate employment opportunities commensurate with labour supplies. This requires that an employment focus should be added to the development programmes and in formulation of policies and, in addition, prepare special employment schemes. Hence, the third logical step in this scheme of elimination of child labour and poverty relates to the concerted efforts for the preparation of an employment policy, medium- and long-term, having a simultaneous focus on sectors such as industrial and agricultural as well as on promotion of self-employment for target groups such as educated, skilled, women, etc. and for different regions. This employment policy should also contain special programmes for the vulnerable groups.

The employment policy should clearly identify areas and sectors having potential for generation of gainful work opportunities. This potential then somehow should be linked with the training policy, credit programmes and self-employment schemes.

Source: Poverty Alleviation in Pakistan: Present Scenario and Future Strategy, Mohibul Haq Sahibzada. Republished with permission.