Bahrain plans unemployment benefits

MANAMA, Bahrain --Bahrain's government promised Monday to introduce unemployment benefits -- something of a novelty in the Arab world.

The bill would provide 150 Bahraini dinars ($415) per month to about 18,000 jobless Bahrainis, most of whom are women.

The move appears to be designed in part to avoid the unrest that can flow from long-term unemployment. The lack of jobs was a major factor in the turmoil that engulfed Bahrain in the mid-1990s when a series of riots and arson attacks occurred.

"We sought advice from Swiss, Canadian and British experts before introducing the bill, which will virtually eliminate problems emanating from unemployment," Labor Minister Majeed al-Alawi told The Associated Press.

The bill is expected to be presented to parliament in early December, after the elections of Nov. 25. Al-Alawi said the plan is for the first payouts to be made in January.

"All unemployed will be required to attend job centers administered by the Ministry of Labor, and will be interviewed to check their eligibility and preparedness to accept job offers," al-Alawi said.

First-time job seekers will also be eligible for the benefits as long as they are 18 years or older.

Economist Alaa al-Yousuf estimated the unemployment rate in Bahrain is about 15 percent of the work force of 120,000 people -- about 18,000 people. He said most of the unemployed are women.

Unemployment benefit is almost unknown in the Arab world. It does not exist in Egypt, Lebanon or Syria.

In Jordan, unemployed people may receive state benefits so long as they contributed to the state's social security agency before they lost their jobs. It does not apply to those who have never held a job.