Iacopo Senatori Senior Researcher, Marco Biagi Foundation

1. IIRA 5th African Regional CongressCape Town, 26 – 28 March 2008Graduate School of Business, Universiy of Cape Town Indicators of Youth Employment in a Comparative Perspective: The Question of “Decent Work” and Productive Employment Iacopo Senatori Senior Researcher, Marco Biagi Foundation University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy) iacopo.senatori@unimore.it

2. Indicators of Youth Employment Conditions (ILO, Global Employment Trends For Youth, 2004) • Unemployment Rates • Unemployment Duration • Underemployment • Incidence of Temporary Work • Employment Status • Informal Economy Employment • Employment by Sector and Occupation • Discouraged Workers • Vulnerability Rate • Job Satisfaction

3. The Challenge Ahead “Finding a way to make use of the indicators that already exist” “Give youth everywhere a real and equal opportunity to find full and productive employment and decent work” (ILO, Global Employment Trends For Youth, 2006)

4. The Global Dimension of the Problem Framework: Connections Amongst the Economies (ILO, Global Employment Trends, 2008) Migration Delocalization Battle for the Brains

5. The Global Dimension of the Problem Common Trends: Unemployment Youth Unemployment Rates, by Region, 1995 and 2005 Source: ILO, Global Employment Trends, 2006

6. The Global Dimension of the Problem Common Trends: Participation Rates Youth Labour Force Participation Rates, 1995 and 2005 Source: ILO, Global Employment Trends, 2006

7. The Global Dimension of the Problem Other Main Features, Depending on the Region (1): • Poverty (Africa, Latin America) • Discouragement (Developed Economies, Central and • Eastern Europe) • Underemployment (Asia)

8. The Global Dimension of the Problem Other Main Features, Depending on the Region (2): Distribution of Youth and Adult Population, by Activity Status, 2005 Source: ILO, Global Employment Trends, 2006

9. A Proposal How can institutions, trade unions and employers’ associations tackle the problem in a global perspective? Building a common ground of evaluation • A set of fundamental concepts that are comprehenisble • at all latitudes • Basis for initiatives that are coordinated at a transnational level

10. A Proposal • A general reference to the concept of decent work • in itself can not act as a common ground of evaluation 2) It is necessary to break down the concept, emphasising the real common denominator of youth employment problems, that is relevant to all the regions of the world regardless of the specific characteristics of each one 3) Such a common denominator consists of the lack of human capital and labour productivity, which leads in turn to: • Poverty • Discouragement • Underemployment

11. A Proposal The concept of decent work broken down: four dimensions (ILO, World Employment Report, 2004/05) 1) Security 2) Basic Workers’ Rights 3) Representation 4) Opportunity In the sense of Employability • See also ILO World Employment Report, 2004/05: • Productive employment is the economic foundation of decent work • Productivity depends on human capital and skills Development of human capital (employability) is the main way to decent work

12. The Role of the Actors of Industrial Relations • Emphasising the role of human capital and employability • may result in an underestimation of the other components of • the decent work concept, especially in the early stages of • development of an economy (competitive advantages). • In this perspective, by focusing on the employability issues, • trade unions, employers’ associations and other institutions • can operate as a democratic safeguard against abuses, such • as the failure to distribute to the workers a share of • increased productivity.

13. Thank you very much indeed iacopo.senatori@unimore.it