Overview on the State of Global Youth Employment, Overview on the State of Global Youth Employment, with Emphasis on Egypt’s Casewith Emphasis on Egypt’s Case

ByBy

Khaled El-Sayed Hassan, Ph. D.Khaled El-Sayed Hassan, Ph. D.Demographer & Statistical ExpertDemographer & Statistical Expert

33rdrd Conference for Documentation Conference for Documentation and Electronic Archivingand Electronic Archiving

Dubai 17-19 September 2005Dubai 17-19 September 2005

Objectives of the StudyObjectives of the Study To discuss:To discuss:

The current and future trends in youth employment (current and The current and future trends in youth employment (current and projected levels of economically active population).projected levels of economically active population).

Factors affecting sustainable youth livelihood. Factors affecting sustainable youth livelihood.

Youth unemployment, and its impact to the issue of gender.Youth unemployment, and its impact to the issue of gender.

As for Egypt’s case, the study examined:As for Egypt’s case, the study examined:

The impact of youth employment on the continuation in schools.The impact of youth employment on the continuation in schools.

The impact of youth employment on the future work status.The impact of youth employment on the future work status.

Data SourcesData Sources

International databases from ILO, UNDP and International databases from ILO, UNDP and other world organizations.other world organizations.

Transition to Adulthood, A National Survey of Transition to Adulthood, A National Survey of Egyptian Adolescents, 1997.Egyptian Adolescents, 1997.

Definitions of the Basic TermsDefinitions of the Basic Terms

Unemployment: Unemployment: (All persons of working age who, in the reference period, are (All persons of working age who, in the reference period, are without work, available for work, and have taken specific without work, available for work, and have taken specific steps to find work).steps to find work).

Livelihood:Livelihood:(livelihood is the tools, activities, and assets by which people (livelihood is the tools, activities, and assets by which people make a living.make a living. It is based on income derived from ‘Jobs’, but It is based on income derived from ‘Jobs’, but also on incomes derived from assets and entitlements).also on incomes derived from assets and entitlements).

Decent work:Decent work:(It Implies the productive work under conditions of freedom, (It Implies the productive work under conditions of freedom, equity, security, and dignity, in which worker’s rights are equity, security, and dignity, in which worker’s rights are protected).protected).

Main results:Main results:Global Youth PopulationGlobal Youth Population

Age Age

groupgroup Population distribution Population distribution (in Millions)(in Millions)

World World Less developed Less developed countries (LDC)countries (LDC)

More developed More developed

countries (MDC)countries (MDC) No. No. % % No.No. % % No.No. % %

0 - 14 0 - 14 18141814 30.030.0 15971597 33.233.2 217217 17.417.4

15 - 24 15 - 24 10621062 17.517.5 900900 18.718.7 162162 13.013.0

25 - 60 25 - 60 25732573 42.542.5 19951995 41.541.5 578578 46.346.3

60 + 60 + 605605 10.010.0 151151 3.13.1 454454 36.336.3

Total Total 60546054 100.0100.0 48054805 100.0100.0 12491249 100.0100.0

Current and Projected Current and Projected

Economically Active PopulationEconomically Active Population Fig. (3): Trends in Youth (Both Sexes) Economically Active Rates, 1980-

2010

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

1980 1990 1995 2000 2010Years

Rates

LDC Total MDC Total World Total

Factors Affecting Youth LivelihoodFactors Affecting Youth Livelihood

Poverty, illiteracy, and health conditionsPoverty, illiteracy, and health conditions are the three major are the three major factors affecting youth & sustainable livelihood. policy factors affecting youth & sustainable livelihood. policy makers need to focus on addressing these issues on a priority makers need to focus on addressing these issues on a priority basis in youth and development programs.basis in youth and development programs.

Poverty:Poverty:

Over 1 billion people in the world live in poverty, mostly in Over 1 billion people in the world live in poverty, mostly in rural areas of developing countries. The migration of rural rural areas of developing countries. The migration of rural population to urban areas has increased urban poverty. population to urban areas has increased urban poverty. Young people are particularly at risk of poverty.Young people are particularly at risk of poverty.

Factors Affecting Youth LivelihoodFactors Affecting Youth Livelihood(Continued)(Continued)

IlliteracyIlliteracy

approximately 96 million young women, and 57 million men approximately 96 million young women, and 57 million men are illiterate, most of them in developing countries. Illiteracy are illiterate, most of them in developing countries. Illiteracy rates are higher in northern Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and rates are higher in northern Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and south of Asia, with a significant gender differential. south of Asia, with a significant gender differential.

Health IssuesHealth Issues

HIV/AIDS and other fatal health diseases have had a sever HIV/AIDS and other fatal health diseases have had a sever negative impact on both developing as well as developed negative impact on both developing as well as developed economies. The developing countries (e.g. Africa) have economies. The developing countries (e.g. Africa) have registered alarming raise in population affecting by registered alarming raise in population affecting by HIV/AIDS, and the impact is bound to show on the overall HIV/AIDS, and the impact is bound to show on the overall economy of such countries.economy of such countries.

Youth UnemploymentYouth Unemployment

According to ILO estimates, more than 70 million people According to ILO estimates, more than 70 million people in the world are unemployed. in the world are unemployed.

Youth unemployment rates exceed adult unemployment Youth unemployment rates exceed adult unemployment rates. (German Economy is an exceptional)rates. (German Economy is an exceptional)

Unemployment is one dimension of the employment Unemployment is one dimension of the employment problem of youth. A large number of the youth in many problem of youth. A large number of the youth in many countries are underemployed, some working fewer hours countries are underemployed, some working fewer hours than they would like to and others working very long than they would like to and others working very long

hours with little gain.hours with little gain.

Reasons of Global youth unemploymentReasons of Global youth unemployment Lack of work experience.Lack of work experience.

Most of youth haven’t the occupational skills Most of youth haven’t the occupational skills required by the labor market.required by the labor market.

Youth face a higher opportunity to be fired by Youth face a higher opportunity to be fired by firms.firms.

The rapid technological advancements put the The rapid technological advancements put the

skill level of youth as inadequate.skill level of youth as inadequate.

Egypt’s Case:Egypt’s Case:Early Employment and Discontinuation in SchoolsEarly Employment and Discontinuation in Schools

Discontinuation in schools is the common end for children who Discontinuation in schools is the common end for children who have early work experience. have early work experience.

87% of adolescent who experienced early work in their childhood 87% of adolescent who experienced early work in their childhood discontinue their schools attendance.discontinue their schools attendance.

Male adolescents are more likely to discontinue in schools than Male adolescents are more likely to discontinue in schools than female female

The average duration of continuation in schools after the early The average duration of continuation in schools after the early employment is about 2.7 years.employment is about 2.7 years.

Adolescents discontinuation in schools are highly related to the Adolescents discontinuation in schools are highly related to the level of living and family income.level of living and family income.

Reasons of Discontinuation in SchoolsReasons of Discontinuation in Schools

Economic pressures and financial obstacles are the main Economic pressures and financial obstacles are the main reason of early employment of Egyptian’s children. reason of early employment of Egyptian’s children.

Help with housework is an important reason of female’s Help with housework is an important reason of female’s discontinuation, representing about 10% of the reasons of discontinuation, representing about 10% of the reasons of female’s discontinuation in schools.female’s discontinuation in schools.

Difficulties in absorbing school curriculums, changes in the Difficulties in absorbing school curriculums, changes in the children’s views and behaviors toward the importance of children’s views and behaviors toward the importance of education, and maltreatment from teachers’ side, represents education, and maltreatment from teachers’ side, represents more than half of the reasons of discontinuation in schools.more than half of the reasons of discontinuation in schools.

Early Employment and the Highest Early Employment and the Highest Educational Level AttainedEducational Level Attained

Two-thirdTwo-third of adolescents with early employment are of adolescents with early employment are

completed the completed the basic educational levelbasic educational level..

Only Only 20%20% of the adolescents with early employment are of the adolescents with early employment are completed completed the secondary levelthe secondary level (mostly are vocational (mostly are vocational secondary graduates, 75%). secondary graduates, 75%).

Percentage of adolescents with early employment Percentage of adolescents with early employment and and high educational levelhigh educational level is is four times lowerfour times lower than than it among adolescents without early employment it among adolescents without early employment experience.experience.

Early Employment and Early Employment and

the Current Employment Statusthe Current Employment Status

Fig. (9): Differences in current employment status of adolescents, by early employment experience, 1997.

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female Total Male Female Total

Currently working Satisfied with current work

Percent

With early employment experience Without early employment experience

Early Employment and Early Employment and the Average Monthly Incomethe Average Monthly Income

CharacterCharacter With early With early

work work experienceexperience

Without early Without early work work

experienceexperience

MM FF TT M M FF TT

Average Average monthly income monthly income (L.E.)(L.E.)

141488 355355 180180 190190 112112 169169

ConclusionConclusion

youth population is an important part of global population youth population is an important part of global population and is a significant of the global productivity. Youth and is a significant of the global productivity. Youth Employment is not an issue restricted to the developing Employment is not an issue restricted to the developing countries.countries.

Gender equity will be a significant factor in driving all the Gender equity will be a significant factor in driving all the development programs in the coming years, in both developed development programs in the coming years, in both developed and developing economies.and developing economies.

early employment experience has a negative impact on the early employment experience has a negative impact on the continuation of adolescents in schools from one side, and on continuation of adolescents in schools from one side, and on the highest educational level they can reach from the other the highest educational level they can reach from the other side.side.

Conclusion (Continued)Conclusion (Continued)

Economic pressures and financial obstacles are the Economic pressures and financial obstacles are the principal reason of early employment of Egyptian’s principal reason of early employment of Egyptian’s children. children.

Early work experience may lead to less opportunities, in Early work experience may lead to less opportunities, in the future, to be employed, satisfied with the current work, the future, to be employed, satisfied with the current work, and less income.and less income.