Support Programmes for Youth Employment and Employability in the Growth Sectors in Senegal
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Date
2022-02
Authors
Dumas, TSAMBOU André
Diallo, THIERNO MALICK
Benjamin, FOMBA KAMGA
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Economic Research Consortium
Abstract
Generating jobs for a growing population is a critical challenge that Africa faces.
An additional 20 million young people will enter the working age population
each year over the next decade. Africa has managed to generate economic
growth since the mid-1990s, but this type of growth has failed to be inclusive,
transformative and job rich. The quality of the jobs generated is low. African countries have managed to absorb the
volume of young people migrating from rural areas by generating low productivity, low
paid jobs in traditional services sector in their cities. The development of key sectors
with productivity growth potential (sector transformation) and structural change is
critical for the economic transformation process and hence for increases in jobs and
income, including for the young.
Covid-19 has affected economic structures, consumer preferences, production
processes and trade practices. The crisis has accelerated previous trends (e.g. the rise
of e-commerce) and led to new demand and production patterns (e.g. an increase in
home working). The dramatic fall in the global demand of garments and travel – to
name a few of the manifestations of the crisis – may require recalibrating economic
transformation and development strategies.
Despite these challenges, targeted or sectoral policies will continue to be essential to
the development of any key sector, and some sectors are better able to absorb labour.
In this sense, it is critical to identify which sectors present the greatest potential to
boost productive employment. This involves assessing sectors’ employment and
productivity. With a growing influx of young people and women participating in the
market, labour supply is expected to be sufficient, in the short- and medium-term,
to cover demand.
In the paper which this brief summarise we propose a four-step framework to identify
and create opportunities to create jobs for young men and women. Section 2 identifies
the problem which the paper is trying to address. Section 3 provides the framework for
analysis This framework offers guidance for country researchers who can be following
this up and examine specific questions, using appropriate methods.