Job Creation and Competence Building Research Workshop 2025
Unlocking Young Women’s Potential? The Impact of a Low-cost Career Guidance Program
Author: Ankush Asri, Viola Asri, and Anke Hoeffler
Affiliation: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), Norway
Abstract
A lack of self-reflection on personal interests when choosing a career can lead to poor labour market outcomes for young people. This challenge is particularly pronounced for young women in societies with rigid gender norms, where restrictive expectations may limit labour force participation. Early career exploration during secondary school could help mitigate these barriers. We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial at the school level to evaluate the impact of a low-cost, 10-hour career exploration programme delivered during school hours. Our pre-registered analysis shows that the programme effectively encourages students to plan their transition to further skill development and prioritise their interests in career decisions. These positive effects are driven by reducing information constraints and the influence of programme facilitators as role models. Our findings have important policy implications, suggesting that such interventions can enhance female labour force participation and that the choice of facilitators plays a key role in programme effectiveness.
Challenges Faced by Gig Workers in Kathmandu Valley: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Author: Prasiddha Basnet
Affiliation: Lecturer, Milton International College, Kathmandu
Abstract
The gig economy now presents a fundamental segment of the contemporary work structure that offers workers the freedom to manage their work independently. People who operate within the gig economy possess selection power for their assignments along with the ability to determine their working schedule and balance professional life with personal life since traditional working arrangements do not offer these features. Research focusing on how young people understand the difficulties of working in the gig economy remains scarce despite its rising significance. An empirical analysis studies the main problems experienced by gig workers operating in Kathmandu Valley while developing appropriate management solutions for future policy development. The development of effective gig economy policies depends on mastering the identification of job-related challenges affecting security and sustainability.
Street Vendors in Kathmandu Valley: Working Condition and Livelihood
Author: Jeevan Baniya, and Amit Gautam
Affiliation: Social Science Baha
Abstract
This paper discusses the demographic characteristics, working conditions and livelihood experiences of street vendors in Kathmandu Valley based on data from surveys (n=427), interviews (n=42) and group discussions (n=8) with the vendors complemented with 22 interviews with key stakeholders. The study finds that street vendors in Kathmandu face dire working conditions and struggle to make a living. They lacked (legal) recognition; nearly all (96 per cent) were operating unregistered and generally made very little profit from their business, the only source of their livelihood. A huge gap was observed in the income of male and female vendors: while nearly two-thirds of male vendors (64 per cent) made a monthly profit between NPR 20,000 and 50,000 (ca. 146–364 USD) nearly equal percentage of female vendors (60 per cent) made a significantly lower profit, only NPR 10,000 (ca. 73 USD). Street vendors often faced abuse and mistreatment, and the rate was slightly higher for female vendors (34 per cent) compared to their male counterparts (31 per cent). These vendors generally worked in unsafe conditions with limited access to basic amenities such as public restrooms, sanitation, clean water, safe and accessible roads, sidewalks and means of transportation.
The study found a low level of awareness among street vendors about social protection schemes available in Nepal. Most vendors were unaware (71 per cent) of the contributory social security scheme and had weak unionisation efforts. Female vendors faced even greater challenges due to their unpaid care responsibilities, and had less awareness of business registration processes, which created a barrier to formalisation. Vendors with disabilities reported of increased exclusion, both socially and economically. The study also found a lack of a common understanding among workers’ associations, government bodies and street vendors. The workers’ associations lacked an understanding of the sector’s diverse and unique challenges, and the street vendors were generally critical of the government initiatives to ‘manage’ them by coercion. The street vendors were particularly critical of recent crackdowns by local governments and allocation of specific times and spaces for their business, which was believed to be infeasible and aimed at discouraging their work.
The study shows that despite Nepal’s commitment to safeguarding human rights and strengthening social security frameworks through various domestic and international measures, the rights of street vendors remain unaddressed. It calls for concerted and collaborative efforts to ensure street vendors’ livelihoods are protected and their contributions to urban economies recognised—aligning with the central transformative promise of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: leave none behind.
Unpacking Informality in Nepal’s Labour Market
Author: Jeevan Baniya, Sudhir Shrestha, Arjun Kharel, and Amit Gautam
Affiliation: Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility (CESLAM), Social Science Baha
Abstract
Formalisation of the economy tends to provide better employment opportunities, including higher wages, paid leave, and social security, thereby contributing to the achievement of decent work indicators. While there is an ongoing national drive for formalisation with the drafting of the National Strategy on Formalisation, this study quantifies the extent, nature, and composition of informality in Nepal’s labour market, identifying its major determinants and potential implications for formalisation. Using descriptive analysis based on data from the Nepal Labour Force Survey 2017/18 (NLFS 2017/18) and the Nepal Living Standard Survey 2022/23 (NLSS 2022/23), this study seeks to understand informality from both labour and enterprise perspectives, following the criteria outlined by the 21st International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS 21). This study finds that employment in the informal sector decreased by around 14 per cent (from 54 per cent in 2018 to 40 per cent in 2023), but informal employment decreased by only around 4 per cent between 2018 and 2023 (from 82 per cent to 78 per cent), mainly attributed to the rise in informal employment in the formal sector (by around 8.5 per cent). The meagre increase in formalization of employment (by around 4 per cent) that is observed, however, cannot be linked to an increased access to social security or paid leaves, but is driven by the comparative increase in the proportion of formal employers and own account workers, directly associated with the increase in registration among establishments. This implies that while formalisation of establishments is increasing, formalisation of employment is a greater challenge.
The macroeconomic analyses further reveal a failure of the formal labour market to absorb the growing labour force effectively due to the declining job creation prospects, rising unemployment, weak intersectoral linkages, combined with low wage growth and concentration of an increasing share of workers at the lower end of the wage spectrum. This stagnation indicates that transition into formal employment of a large proportion of workers – particularly youth, women and Dalits – who are in low-paying, insecure, informal employment, is unlikely to
Job Creation and Competence Building in Nepal
Author: Bishnu Prasad Devkota
Affiliation: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA)
Abstract
A land-linked country, Nepal surrounded by China and India, not only facing increased import and transportation costs but also struggling with employment generation and workforce competence. A significant portion of work labour migration abroad results in the country’s economic landscape being influenced by remittance inflows, which constitute about one-fourth of GDP. However, these inflows are mostly used for consumption rather than productive investments, limiting their potential to drive sustainable economic growth. On the other hand, the global market is increasingly shifting towards service-oriented from an industrial economy, dominated by IT, tourism, financial service, and workforce from skill-based learning. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for Nepal to diversify its economy and align local industries with global trends. This proposal aims to foster the creation of sustainable jobs as well as competent labourers by promoting all 753 local governments’ self-sufficiency in key industries, surplus production, and encouraging entrepreneurship. The framework focuses on three pillars: localised industrial specialisation, skill development, and policy-driven employment generation.
In the first instance, each local level will be declared independent in producing surplus commodities based on its economic advantages. Some of these are already known and declared while others remain unassessed. For instance: Bharatpur Metropolitan City – fish and poultry farming, contributing to national self-sufficiency in meat production; Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City –Cement and iron industries; Banepa Municipality – IT and electronics; Rolpa and Rukun Rural Municipalities – Silicon extraction and mineral processing; Mustang Rural Municipality – apple farming. To transform this plan into reality, a facilitation committee in each province consisting of experts from agriculture, tourism, management, engineering, and other related fields will be formed, which not only help to identify potential resources that the area shall be independent of in the preparation of periodic plans of the municipalities but also encourages them to implement the plan.
The local level government shall guarantee the market with minimum cost but producing entrepreneurs shall sell themselves for higher worths. To cope with the risk of failure due to some circumstances, each local government will create a hedging fund in collaboration with the central government. An academic institution, at least of higher school level (+2) shall be an important contributor to vocational training, research, and planning in the sector. This will drive economic stability and ensure self-sufficiency. A separate committee shall be formed in Karyapalika for implementing the programme which will focus on formalising informal employment by providing vocational training linked to industry needs and will encourage remittance-backed business investments.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) formed by a provincial-level committee shall be well measured by academic institutions and final verification and control shall be made by the committee under Karyapalika which focuses on the impact, including employment growth, formalisation rates, and remittance investment levels as well as management of hedging funds. This initiative envisions transforming Nepal into a self-sufficient, innovation-driven economy, ensuring each local level thrives through its specialised industries. This proposal aims to create a sustainable employment ecosystem that drives national prosperity.
Will Artificial Intelligence Get in the Way of Achieving Gender Equality?
Author: Catalina Franco
Affiliation: Centre for Applied Research (SNF), Norwegian School of Economics
Abstract
We conduct two surveys with preregistered experiments to examine gender differences in generative AI adoption and potential labour market consequences. First, we document a substantial gender gap in AI adoption among students at a top business school in Norway, with female students, particularly top students, opting out of AI use. Second, a survey of managers shows that acquiring AI skills would significantly enhance job prospects for top female students currently avoiding AI. Finally, we provide causal evidence on policy tools to close the gender gap in AI adoption. Our findings show that while generative AI could widen existing gender gaps in the labour market, with the right policies, it could instead be leveraged to help close them.
Landscape of the Vocational Project for Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship Promotion in Ramechhap
Author: Dipak Ghising
Affiliation: PhD Scholar, Central Department of Rural Development, Tribhuvan University
Abstract
Many youths worldwide face challenges in getting decent jobs because they are unskilled. In such a context, skill and vocational training are milestones for promoting self-employment and entrepreneurship development. Therefore, the study explores the landscape of the vocational project for self-employment and entrepreneurship promotion in the Ramechhap district. It examines the present situation of employment and entrepreneurship after skill and vocational training. The mixed method design has been administered, and the quantitative data adopted from Vocational and Agricultural Training to Promote Employment and Entrepreneurship Project Data until 2024 for the Community Development Society, Manthali, Ramechhap. Similarly, qualitative data was collected using Key Informant Interviews (KII). The study population was training participants who joined the three-month (level 1) vocational training, which is 752 total trainees, and KII conducted with two project staff directly involved in the project execution process. The sample population represents Sunapati Rural Municipality, Khandadevi Rural Municipality, and Manthali Municipality of Ramechhap district, Nepal—the SPSS application was applied to measure the results and findings along with qualitative verification. As a descriptive result, the highest percentage of 24.73 trainees employed and getting a job, 19.28 percent of trainees being self-employed, 21.41 percent refused to work, 6.52 percent had their enterprises, 8.11 percent wanted to work, and 19.95 percent represented unidentified status. Similarly, KII results suggest that most trainees face low wages, freshers have less priority in their jobs, a limited job market to settle and train human resources, and a lack of financial investment for enterprises and entrepreneurship promotion. Based on the findings, skill and vocational training is not the ultimate solution to getting a decent job and self-employment, and further study is needed to justify why less percent of vocational and skill-trained human resources engage in employment and are self-employed. Also, it breaks the myth of training a skillful workforce to get the job and do their own business easily. Therefore, planners, policymakers, and decision-makers can reference these findings to further planning and policy formation in employment generation through technical and vocational training in the local area.
Perception of Nepali Youths on Dignity of Labour in Domestic Employment Sector: A Case Study of Province 2 and 5
Author: Amrita Gurung
Affiliation: PhD Student, Concordia University
Abstract
Although Nepal is a signatory to various ILO conventions that mandate decent work conditions, hours, and wages, there have been limited efforts to understand how youths perceive the dignity of labour. Still, lower-income countries, including Nepal, face an overwhelming challenge to fulfil the demands of the labour market to provide employment opportunities to the youth population. Past studies conducted in Nepal highlight the disproportionate relationship between youth and the labour market in Nepal, which has led many to leave the country for both foreign employment and studies in various countries across the world since the 1990s with the changing political landscape and liberalised economy. As per the Nepal Labour Force Survey 2017/18, 69.1 per cent of job seekers were between the ages of 15-34 years out of which 38.1 per cent belonged to the age category of 15-24 years. Nepal’s top three employing industries include agriculture, trade industry and construction, yet the informal sector is the biggest avenue of job opportunities. Nepali youths aged between 15–24 years are engaged in the informal job market at 94.4 per cent, accounting for more females (90.5 per cent) than males (81.1 per cent). Based on the premise that jobs alone do not ensure the dignity of labour, the paper broadly explores varied notions of dignity of labour from youth perspectives. The paper builds on major findings of a research conducted as part of Governance Lab, a policy-driven research institute in Kathmandu, from February until August 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing into perspective fragilities, strengths and tensions in which youths conceive of dignity in labour in particular time, place and context. As such, the paper explores perceptions of dignity of labour within the existing domestic labour industry among youths in the province 2 and 5 by investigating varied ways in which they articulate and express sentiments about dignity of labour alongside their work aspirations, availability of job market, and the differences between rural and urban areas all of which have a bearing on their life goals as a future making endeavour. To this end, the research asks the following questions: How do youths understand the dignity of labour at the local level? What gaps exist in the domestic labour industry according to youths? What are their life aspirations? How does the PMEP (Program for Managing Employment Programs) align with the concept of dignity of labour at the local level? What programmes have been introduced at the local level in relation to the dignity of labour? Based on qualitative methods namely interviews, key-informant interviews, focus group discussions and informal conversations with youths from both urban and rural areas, government officials, locals and local entrepreneurs, the research takes into account the challenges faced by youths in domestic industry at both rural and urban level while identifying key policy and implementations gaps while making timely and constructive policy recommendations for better youth integration in local domestic labour market with respect to dignity of labour.
Rural Labour Relations in the Tarai since the 1990s
Author: Magnus Hatlebakk
Affiliation: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), Norway
Abstract
Based on the first round of the Nepal Living Standards Survey from 1996/97 (NLSS1), Hatlebakk (2007, 2009, 2011) found evidence of feudal labour and credit relations in the terai, and more so in the eastern parts. In this talk the earlier results will be presented, followed by a preliminary look at the NLSS4 from 2022/23 to see whether regular market forces have taken over. Wages have increased due to labour migration, but is this the case everywhere, and what about interest rates in the informal markets, now that loans are needed to finance migration?
Trends of Remittance Transfers and Uses in Nepal
Author: Arjun Kharel, Sanjit Shrestha and Chhatra Limbu
Affiliation: Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility (CESLAM), Social Science Baha
Abstract
Nepal is estimated to have received a record USD 11.4 billion of remittances in 2024, an increment of fourteen times since 2004 when Nepal received only USD 800 million. The remittances have consistently remained around a quarter of the country’s GDP since 2013, further signifying the dominant role of remittances in Nepal’s macro economy. Within this backdrop, the paper examines the trends of remittance transfers and uses in Nepali households in the last three decades, from 1996 to 2023, using data from four editions of Nepal Living Standards Survey conducted during this period. The data shows that Nepali households increasingly rely on remittances from abroad a – while only 10.8 per cent of households received remittances in 1995this rate has increased to 35.6 per cent in 2023, a three-fold increase in a period of about three decades. The average remittance received by the households has also substantially increased over time, fromNPR 18,215 (USD 330) in 1996 to over NPR 315,539 (USD 2413) in 2023, thus playing a significant role in poverty reduction in Nepal. The study also finds substantial diversification in source countries of remittances over the years – while most remittances were transferred from India in the past (with 59.4 per cent in 1996) the remittances from India had a much smaller share in 2023 (14 percent), with GCC countries, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, USA, Australia and European countries featuring as other important source countries of remittances.
A huge gap is observed among provinces in Nepal in terms of the size of remittances received at the household level. The households in relatively wealthier provinces of Gandaki, Koshi and Bagmati received the largest amount per remitter on average, NPR 400,000 or over, in 2023 while those in Sudurpaschim, Karnali and Madhesh each received about half of it. A huge gap is also observed in the size of remittances sent by men versus women remitters, with women on average remitting less than half of what men were sending in 2023. The major factors were women remitters’ high degree of concentration in India, a lower-income destination for Nepali migrants, and a high rate of women remitters ‘not working’ abroad. Households in Nepal use remittances for a variety of purposes, such as daily consumption, loan repayment, children’s education, investments and saving, but the top ranking ‘first priority’ use of remittances has consistently been daily consumption (69.3 per cent in 2011 and 72.3 per cent in 2023), followed by loan repayment (15.9 and 13.5 per cent), likely to pay off the debts incurred in migration process. There has been a decline in the use of remittance in investments (such as on business and property) but an increase in the use of remittances as savings between 2011 and 2023. The decrease in investments in 2023 might be associated with the risks in investments in business and other sectors of the economy at a time Nepal’s economy was struggling in the post-COVID-19 period. Remittance-recipient households’ spending behaviour is associated with the size of remittances. Households tend to spend small-sized transfers for daily consumption and purchasing household assets/durables in higher proportions while larger amounts are used at higher rates for repayment of loan, education, investment and savings.
Exposing Remittance Power: Boosting Jobs and Entrepreneurship in Nepal
Author: Lila Prasad Limbu, Co-author: Kamal Kumar Yakha
Affiliation: Lecturer, Central Department of Rural Development, Tribhuvan University
Abstract
Remittances have long been recognized as a significant source of income in Nepal, contributing to household well-being and improving living standards. However, their potential to foster entrepreneurship and job creation remains underexplored. This study aims to examine the role of remittances in promoting entrepreneurial development and local job creation in Nepal, with a focus on the investment behaviour of remittance recipients and the barriers hindering the use of remittance funds for entrepreneurship. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative data from a census of 275 remittance recipients’ individuals from Gulf and Malaysia countries with qualitative insights from in-depth interviews with eight returnees’ migrants.
The study finds that a majority of respondents (73.1%) have not invested their remittance in entrepreneurial development sectors, while a small portion (21.1%) have invested less than NPR 1 lakh, and only 0.7% have invested more than NPR 4 lakh. These results show that despite significant remittance inflows, their contribution to formal entrepreneurship development is limited. The research identifies several barriers to entrepreneurship, including widespread poverty, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to finance, and bureaucratic challenges. Additionally, the lack of family support and insufficient local government assistance further constrain entrepreneurial development.
Qualitative interviews provide deeper insights into the socio-economic and policy-related factors that prevent remittance recipients from engaging in entrepreneurship, highlighting the need for an improved entrepreneurial environment. Based on these findings, the study suggests recommendations to emphasise the available potential of remittances in driving entrepreneurship and job creation in Nepal, advising policymakers to create an enabling environment that supports the effective use of remittances for economic transformation.
The Labour Market of Teachers during Conflict: The Case of Burkina Faso
Author: Annika Lindskog
Affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Abstract
We investigate the impact of the escalating Jihadist violence in Burkina Faso on teacher retention and recruitment. To do so we use a matched panel of certified primary- and secondary school teachers and schools which we merge with conflict event data. Preliminary findings suggest that violence has a negative impact on teacher retention, in particular for female teachers and teachers with more instruction hours. While permanent contracts and the type of school (public, private, non-confessional or religious) matters for teacher retention, these factors do not interact with violence. We furthermore find violence only to affect retention among teachers who were recruited before the onset of violence. Teachers recruited after the onset of violence do not appear to respond to continued violence. We are planning to collect new survey data from teachers to better understand their labour market decisions.
Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Analysis of Nepal
Author: Juna Mathema
Affiliation: Blitz Media Pvt. Ltd.
Abstract
A traditional approach to entrepreneurship development often focuses on providing direct financial and non-financial support to budding MSMEs. While this tactic provides essential funds and training, among other benefits, to entrepreneurs, in many cases the MSMEs involved may struggle to maintain success beyond the development project cycle. To address this, the ILO developed the Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystems Approach, which takes a systemic approach to support the development of inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystems that foster entrepreneurs’ abilities and opportunities to create sustainable businesses. The approach emphasises six core components that together form a holistic support system for entrepreneurs. In line with its mandate and expertise, the ILO also includes two cross-cutting dimensions: Inclusiveness and Pathways to Decent Work. These ensure that the support system is inclusive of all entrepreneurs.
The publication “Building Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystems in Nepal” is the result of an in-depth analysis of entrepreneurship ecosystems in Kathmandu and Pokhara, focusing on the challenges faced by young entrepreneurs. This report is a collective effort of ILO and FNCCI to delve into strengthening the role of key players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Nepal. The report focuses on key actors, strengths, and challenges of each pillar and has an analysis of priority areas and recommendations listing out its root causes, impact, and interventions for the Finance and Human Capital pillars in Kathmandu and the Market and Culture pillars in Pokhara. The study highlights that while Nepal has witnessed growing entrepreneurial activities in recent years, structural barriers such as limited access to finance, lack of mentorship, inadequate policy support, and socio-cultural constraints continue to hinder equitable participation. The report shares the challenges and constraints and corresponding recommendations for future interventions by the players of the ecosystem to promote young entrepreneurship and has given deeper analysis based on field research.
Maternity Benefit for Women in the Informal Sector: Policy Options for Tanzania
Authors: Mgeni Msafiri and Vincent Leyaro
Affiliation: Research on Poverty Alleviation Programme Limited (REPOA), Tanzania
Abstract
In Tanzania, working-age women in the informal sector are disproportionately poor. These women are typically trapped in volatile and low-paying jobs with unsafe and insecure work environments. Their vulnerability is intensified during pregnancy and breastfeeding, when they both work until the very last stages of pregnancy and return to work prematurely. This poses significant health risks to mothers and their children. Maternity protection can reduce the risk of income insecurity for mothers of newborns and result in long-term benefits, such as improved health and nutrition for mothers and newborns and higher human capital development and overall gender equality for society. This study explores policy options for providing maternity benefits to women in Tanzania’s informal sector. Utilising the tax-benefit microsimulation model TAZMOD, the research evaluates the economic feasibility and impact of such benefits for the year 2022. The findings reveal that targeted support for mothers with children up to two years of age significantly reduces poverty, particularly in female-headed households and those with young children. In addition, at a minimal cost of approximately 0.09% of GDP, maternity benefits could effectively cover essential household food expenses necessary for daily survival. These results underscore the potential of well-designed maternity benefit policies to enhance economic security and improve living standards for vulnerable populations in Tanzania.
Job Creation and Competence Building: Addressing Youth Migration for Foreign Employment in Nepal
Author: Krishna Chandra Neupane
Affiliation: Samarpan Academy: Institute of Crisis Management Studies (ICMS), Tribhuvan University
Abstract
The large-scale migration of Nepalese youth for foreign employment, particularly in unskilled sectors, presents economic and social challenges. While remittances contribute significantly to national GDP, the long-term implications of a workforce dependent on low-skilled jobs abroad are concerning. Additionally, Nepal has been unable to meet its annual development targets due to insufficient capital investment and inadequate infrastructure development. A significant portion of high school graduates either pursue foreign education or seek employment abroad through manpower agencies, exacerbating the issue. This paper examines the structural factors behind this phenomenon and proposes policy interventions for job creation and competence building to mitigate excessive reliance on foreign employment. It also includes data on migrant workers’ hardships, government responses, and recommendations for awareness-building, social integration, and returning workers’ stabilisation strategies.
Preparation for Moving to Work: Nepali Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector
Author: Mahesh Nath Parajuli
Affiliation: Professor of Development Studies, Kathmandu University School of Education
Abstract
Moving to work after education has been a common practice for many. Such movements are often studied as a transition – from education to the labour market. The labour market depends upon the education sector for the quality and competency of its work resources. It is thus one of the requirements that the labour market and education sector cooperate closely. This presentation aims to raise concerns about how well these two sectors are tied in and how the two sectors care for and support each other in Nepal. The presentation begins by questioning the common pattern of transition studies, which focus on attaining structural efficiency and use a macro perspective while ignoring the individuals, their agencies, and the micro context.
Drawing from research works and literature and focusing on the formal, long-term academic programmes of the Nepali technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector that prepares low and mid-level work-resource for the industry sector, the paper discusses weaknesses and limitations in the relationship between education and industry. Research shows that students are not prepared well and do not learn what they are supposed to learn, and employers find student learning and competency are not what they would expect. Despite policy provisions and some existing practices, the industry sector’s involvement in TVET is not meaningful and, thus, not influential. A critical condition for a flourishing labour market is its active contribution to education. The worrying reality is that despite claims, it is difficult to see that neither the education nor the industry sectors are actively pursuing strengthening their relationship for the productive functioning of both sectors. Structural control and embedded hierarchy interplay in the development and continuity of weak student support and weak relationships between the two sectors. The presentation concludes with some proposals, such as seeing moving to work as a dynamic process where individual agency and micro context are considered, seeing it as a subjective, political, and social process, and industries or the labour market playing an active role in collaborating with and supporting learning and education, thus contributing to improving itself.
Teacher Effectiveness: An Intervention on Bonding with Students
Author: Joseph Vecci
Affiliation: Faculty member, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Abstract
Public spending on gender equality and women’s empowerment is rising rapidly in many countries. However, the unintended consequences of women’s empowerment are rarely measured and remain poorly understood. We study the impact of female empowerment programmes on male backlash through a series of experiments involving 1,007 households in India. The paper has four key parts. First, we use an experiment to measure backlash, observing men’s decisions to financially penalise women who participated in empowerment programmes. We find that men pay to punish empowered women at close to double the rate of women in an otherwise identical control group (17 percent versus 8 percent). We also show that men engaging in backlash tend to hold more conservative gender attitudes and are more likely to accept or commit intimate partner violence. Second, we test multiple theories on the conditions that trigger backlash and find that backlash occurs regardless of how women become empowered. Third, we examine social image concerns as a potential behavioral mechanism and find that 18 percent of men are willing to pay to conceal their household’s involvement in empowerment programmes. Those who choose to conceal are more likely to engage in backlash, suggesting that reputational concerns play a key role in driving this behavior. Finally, we test several policies to reduce backlash and find that reframing empowerment programmes to emphasise broader community benefits can help mitigate backlash.
Sustainable Job Creation and Industrial Parks
Author: Espen Villanger
Institution: Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), Norway
Abstract
There is a strong interest in most countries to create jobs. Job creation is particularly important in Africa due to the need to shift from a situation where most families rely on low-productive small-scale agriculture, to a situation where people earn higher and more stable incomes. In addition, high population growth in Africa leads to a rapidly increasing workforce. Many young and relatively well educated people enter the labour force, but there are no jobs available for them. There is also a particular interest in generating export-oriented industries, and these tend to be highly labour intensive, creating a lot of jobs, particularly for women. In Ethiopia, for example, the government and donors of foreign aid have spent billions of USD creating such parks, efforts that led to the creation of around 100.000 jobs, mainly for young women. The drive to generate jobs is also coupled with high hopes that jobs for women will lead to female empowerment along many dimensions; in household decision making, female autonomy and independence from spouses and even in political participation.
In our research we ask the following questions: What about the jobs that are being created; are they empowering women, and are they decent? Work is usually considered as decent if it offers a fair salary, safe working environment, social protection, and participation in the workplace. We study the expansion of Ethiopian industrial parks in the past decade and inquire into whether enough is done to protect the workers and ensure their rights. What is the tradeoff between job creation and maintaining a decent standard of these jobs, and what can be done to create more decent jobs? In this presentation, we summarize our research findings on decent work in industrial parks in Ethiopia from 2016 to 2024.
