25,000 workers employed in 120 Bosnian municipalities

Mass unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Paradoxically, there is an enormous need for work due to the damaged infrastructure and environment. Hundreds of communities around the country need urgent attention including cleaning of rivers, repairs of roads and rehabilitation of water supplies, electricity and telecommunication systems. In a bid to address this problem, UNDP and the government of BiH established the Village Employment and Environment programme, which is jointly funded by the European Commission and the government of Japan.

By Nail Osmancevic

The programme is designed to cover municipalities across the country and focuses especially on those facing massive refugee returns. Under the scheme, a sum of 100,000 US$ is allocated to each municipality to help pay for labour intensive public works, such as reforestation, road repairs and the removal of garbage. Municipalities can apply for funds by submitting proposals to VEEP's regional offices in Travnik, Tuzla, Bihac, Banja Luka and Sarajevo. Priority is given to projects that maximise the number of people employed.

Municipal authorities work in close co-operation with VEEP, which supervises the implementation of planned public works schemes and reviews whether they are being carried out properly. Engineering firms are in charge of evaluating the technical aspects and overall impact of a given project.

Project implementation started in November 1997 and so far 240 million DM have been invested in 234 schemes.

VEEP is currently managing schemes in 120 municipalities both in Republika Srpska and Federation BH. Two thirds of project funds are earmarked for labour costs and the rest is used to pay for materials.

"Our priorities are the most vulnerable groups in society such as returnees, displaced persons, demobilised soldiers, women, invalids and other sections of the population who have suffered because of the war" explains Nada Micic, of VEEP's Banja Luka office. "All of them have to be registered with an unemployment bureau, the demobilised soldiers association, invalids associations or local women associations", she added.

Intensive public works

Up until now over 150 projects have been launched by VEEP. These include 80 road repair schemes, 25 infrastructure reconstruction programmes, 35 waste elimination projects and 26 schemes designed to clean up the country's rivers. Project implementation is limited to between one and three months.

During 1998 and early 1999 some 25,000 people were employed on different VEEP projects.

Activities until 30 July 1999

The implementation period for VEEP projects has been extended until the end of July 1999 thanks to the European Commission and the UNDP. Over this period one million EURO will be invested in small public works schemes.

In April of this year an evaluation of the activities undertaken so far was carried out. As a result of this study, the way projects are managed was changed. It has been decided to invest larger sums of money in certain schemes but only on the condition that it can be proved that they will have a long-term environmental benefit. The role of municipal authorities will also be increased but at a cost. They will now be expected to make a bigger contribution to schemes and not just rely on voluntary support.

The greatest support so far has been given to Brcko municipality, which has benefited from a scheme to clean up the Save River and to rebuild the local school and recreation centre.

Municipalities are selected for funding by the OHR and the UNHCR who make their decisions based on reports from the UNDP.

Long term activity essential

Given the huge need to create jobs in BiH's villages and to ensure the country's environment is adequately protected, UNDP says it will try to maintain its activities for as long as possible. Municipalities are also calling for the VEEP programme to be extended. Individual schemes are often small and last only a short time but they can make a huge difference in those municipalities currently facing acute social and economic problems. Unemployment has worsened following the situation in Yugoslavia especially in Republika Srpska where thousands of workers lost their jobs. People want to live from their own work even if they have to accept jobs that are not related to their professions. Income is precious and it does not matter whether it is earned cleaning the riverbanks or repairing the roads. Even the hardest job can secure a honest living.