Regional Conference

Labour Market Transitions of Young Women and Men in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

The ILO’s Work4Youth Regional Conference on Labour Market Transition of Young Women and Men in Eastern Europe and Central Asia will bring together delegates from ten countries of these two regions. A report summarizing the results of the School-to-Work transition surveys conducted in six of these countries will be presented. Delegates will also have the opportunity to discuss current areas of intervention on youth employment and share experience on policy measures.

Agenda (English)

Agenda (Русский)

Background:


In recent years, Eastern Europe and Central Asia have experienced relatively weak growth prospects, stemming from a slowdown of industrial production, a contraction of internal demand and high dependency on exports and on remittances towards and from the European Union and the Russian Federation. Economic slowdown does not bode well for the well-educated young people hoping to enter the labour market each year. After long periods of unemployment, in most countries the youth with high level of education can expect to eventually attain a stable job, although not necessarily a job that is well paid, matching to their level of qualifications nor offering the benefits of formal employment. The lesser educated, in contrast, face extremely long periods of transitions, and thus periods of dependence on families or the State.

The lack of prospects for quality jobs despite high levels of education in the region, create the risk of frustration among youth, which can culminate in political unrest and external migration. For these reasons, much political attention has been paid to the situation of youth labour markets in the Eastern Europe-Central Asia region, and around the world.

Under the umbrella of the ILO’s Work4Youth (W4Y) Project – a global partnership between the ILO and The MasterCard Foundation, School-to-Work surveys were carried out in 2012-13 among young people aged 15 to 29 in six countries (Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Ukraine).

The results of the surveys were compiled in a synthesis report which has been presented to representatives of governments, employers' organizations and trade unions from the six surveyed countries, as well as from Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Serbia and Tajikistan.

The Conference also included experts from the following institutions:
  • European Investment Bank
  • European Commission
  • European Youth Forum
  • Eurofound
  • European Training Foundation
 


For additional information, please contact Marco Minocri (minocri@ilo.org)
+41 22 799 8693