UNDP to Assist Gender, Youth Programmes

Syria and the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, have agreed to set up a career guidance centre at Damascus University and a programme for gender-based violence, SANA news agency reported on March 10.



The centre will provide career and job-hunting guidance for young Syrians, according to social affairs and labour minister Diala al-Haj Aref.



Syrian state planning commission chairman Taissir al-Raddawi said that the centre aimed to address unemployment among university graduates. He said Damascus University would lead the project, with support from the UNDP.



UNDP will contribute 268,000 US dollars to the project, while the ministry will donate real estate worth 310,000 dollars.



UNDP will also pay 89,000 dollars for a project to raise awareness about gender-based violence and to combat violence against women. Damascus University will donate 159,000 dollars in real estate and 25,000 dollars in financial support, according to university president Wael Mualla.