Bahrain jobless rate edges down to 3.7% in February

Manama: Unemployment in Bahrain fell from 3.8 per cent in January to 3.7 per cent in February, the labour minister has said.

The figures are based on the monthly review prepared by the ministry on the number of people who receive monthly assistance or are on the dole, Majeed Al Alawi said at the weekly cabinet meeting yesterday.

Unemployment reached 2.8 per cent among women and 1 per cent among men.

However, Al Alawi said that Bahrain has 12,256 employment and 3,124 training opportunities.

Bahrain has taken steps to tackle its unemployment problem and has reduced its jobless rate from 16 per cent in 2002. The key project was the establishment of the Unemployment Insurance System, a unique feature in the Arab world.

The system allows unemployed citizens, who are registered with the ministry, to receive financial assistance for six months based on their qualification and experience. During the period, they have to look for a job with the help of the ministry and in some cases they join a training programme. More than 13,000 jobseekers have found employment through the project.