Young people continue to suffer from persistent unemployment and lack of quality job opportunities. The United Nations International Labour Organization on Thursday said that overall economic growth remains disconnected from employment generation.
“Addressing these persistent labour market and social challenges faced by young women and men is crucial, not only for achieving sustainable and inclusive growth but also for the future of work and societal cohesion,” said Deborah Greenfield, the ILO Deputy Director-General for Policy, in a news release announcing the agency’s latest report on youth employment trends.
According to the Global Employment Trends for Youth, while the estimated 70.9 million unemployed youth in 2017 is an important improvement from the crisis peak of 76.7 million in 2009, but that figure is expected to rise by about 200,000 in 2018, reaching a total of 71.1 million.
Furthermore, about 39% of young workers in the emerging and developing world – 160.8 million youth are living in moderate or extreme poverty (less than $3.10 a day), and more than two in every five young people in today’s workforce are unemployed or are working but poor, a striking reality that is impacting society across the world.
ILO says worst affected are young women in the workforce, whose presence in the labour force lags behind by about 16.6% compared to their male counterparts. Unemployment rates of young women are also significantly higher than those of young men, and the gender gap in the rate of young people not in employment, education or training is even wider.
Sierra Leone is currently finding itself in a similar situation with a high rate of youth unemployment.
According to Sierra Leone Unemployment data 2004-2017, unemployment rate in Sierra Leone remained unchanged at 3% in 2016 from 3% in 2015. The unemployment rate in Sierra Leone averaged 3.10 %from 2004 until 2016, reaching an all time high of 3.40% in 2004 and a record low of 3% in 2008, the data pointed out. These numbers, of course, are unbelievable judging from the number of idle youths on the street.
The United Nations Development Program 2012 states 60% of young men and women between age 15- 35 are unemployed. This represents the highest in West Africa, the report says. The report also stated that the country has the fast growing number of youth living below the poverty of $2 USD per day.
Women are particular vulnerable when it comes to educations and job opportunities, the report stated.
Aminata Sillah, Deputy Commissioner, National Youth Commission called for greater investments in quality education and skills development as tools to tackle unemployment. Allieu Sillah, a civil society representative, stated that in order to tackle youth unemployment, a nation-wide development plan including private sector development, infrastructure rehabilitation, public sector reform and decentralization of power.
“At the same time, policies must take into account the fast changing world of work now driven by technology to enable young women and men be ahead of the curve,” added the report.
SV/22/11/17
By Sylvia Villa
Thursday November 23, 2017.
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