 | Klaus Rohland
World Bank Director for Russia |
Moscow, 12 November 2008. Today UNICEF and World Bank started a joint 2.1 million project in the North Caucasus. The project addresses the needs of vulnerable youth in the North Caucasus region by adopting a strategic approach which incorporates life-long learning for skills and competencies, healthy behaviors and livelihoods. The project was officially launched today at the World Bank Moscow office by Bertrand Bainvel, UNICEF Representative in Russia, Klaus Rohland, World Bank Director and Resident Representative in the Russian Federation, and representative of the Ministry of the Regional Development of the Russian Federation. The regional launch of the project is scheduled on 12 November in Rostov-on-Don. While Chechnya has been the traditional epicenter of conflict in the region since the early 1990s, spill over effects have been felt in Dagestan, Ingushetia, North Ossetia and, more recently, Kabardino-Balkaria. The project targets young people aged 14 to 25. Special attention will be paid to young women since their opportunities to take part in social activities outside of school and family are often very limited,  | Bertrand Beinvel
UNICEF Representative in Russia |
particularly in more traditional rural areas, where the average age of marriage and childbearing is low. World Bank's report published in 2006 reveals that the North Caucasus has the highest rate of youth being neither in school nor work in the country, which is from two to seven times higher than the national average of 10 percent. The project will establish education/recreation centres to provide life skills, information technology and other employment related training and organize leisure activities for adolescents and youth. A special fund will award grants and assist with small and medium business development while peace and tolerance program will bring young people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds together through organizing of roundtables, conferences, and summer camps. The project will also provide capacity building for the youth-related ministries in the North Caucasus. The project is in line with the Russian Government's Strategy for Youth adopted in November 2005 and with the priorities of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation. It could serve as a learning and development platform for future efforts aimed at better social integration of young people in the North Caucasus throughout the Russian Federation. |
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