Archive for category: Employment

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Being Poor in Italy: Workers, Migrants and Youth

Being Poor in ItalyThe risk of being poor in Italy is becoming an ever-more likely phenomenon, and particularly worrying is the increase of young NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training) and of people in working poverty. ISTAT data from 2005 and 2020 showed that absolute poverty had nearly doubled from 3,600,000 to 7,700,000 in 15 years.

Those Most Affected

In 2024, 2,200,000 families lived in absolute poverty. About 15.6% of families in poverty had someone working in the family, showing that working is not enough to escape poverty. Families renting are the ones most vulnerable, with housing for the poorest 20% being five times more of a burden compared to the richest 20% of the population. Foreign nationals are also at risk, with incidence climbing to almost 40% in households with at least one foreigner.

Minors in absolute poverty peaked at 13.8% (approximately 1,300,000 people) in 2024, the highest value in 10 years. Families also feel the weight of child poverty, with one in five households with three or more children being in absolute poverty.

The Role of Geography

Geography also plays an important factor when it comes to being poor in Italy, with the percentage of households in absolute poverty being highest in the South and the Islands (at 10.5%). Indeed, it is reported that a person living in Puglia and Sicilia is twice as likely to be in poverty compared to someone in Piedmont. People in small municipalities (<50,000) are more likely to be poor (8.9%) compared to those living in larger municipalities (8%). The one exception to this rule is Liguria, with it being the only region to have lower poverty thresholds in cities (meaning it is cheaper to live in cities) with the two main factors being rent and energy (home heating, electricity etc.).

In-Work Poor

A large problem for Italy has always been people in work and their wages, with GDP wage share pre-2008 being higher only than Greece and Cyprus (within the EU). Pre-crisis employment levels have not been restored in the South, only in the North; with the youth and foreign households bearing the brunt of the crisis. The in-poverty rate was 10% pre-pandemic, above the EU27 average. Temporary workers are, of course, at a higher risk of poverty, with insufficient hours, minimal protections and short-term contracts all being setbacks. Many people often have to access part-time work due to worker constraints or due to the need to balance family and personal responsibilities. Foreign workers have a positive correlation with in-work poverty, being overall more structurally vulnerable in Italy.

The increase in young Italian NEETs comes largely as a result of both the general crisis in the labor market as well as a lack of knowledge/skills, exacerbated especially by the lack of willingness to re-enter training after education. Those with a university degree are less likely to fall into poverty, with low levels of education linking to lower wages, employment instability and more.

Tackling Poverty in a Developed Country

Despite the ongoing poverty in Italy, there are both domestic and foreigners working to fight poverty. Action Contre le Faim, for example, is working on a Naples- and Milan-centered strategy called Mai Piu Fame: dall’emergenza all’autonomia. The program aims to take a multi-layered approach of combatting hunger and being poor in Italy through an immediate approach (such as food support), while also focusing on a long-term approach such as re-training and education. The Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy currently has a 2021-2027 National Inclusion and Poverty Alleviation Programme aiming to promote social inclusion and to fight poverty amongst the most marginalized, such as the homeless, migrants etc. The programme, likewise, has a multi-faceted approach attempting to combat both social and economic issues. This program follows the 2014-2020 Programme for Social Inclusion, which had a similar multi-faceted approach, with a goal of removing 2,200,000 people in poverty by 2020.

The issue of poverty remains persistent in Italy, and, despite efforts by both domestic and foreign actors, there is still more to do.

– Sebastiano Brussato

Sebastiano is based in the United Kingdom and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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How Vocational Training Centers in Portugal Address Poverty

Vocational Training Centers in PortugalVocational training centers in Portugal help workers gain practical skills that lead to employment in industries ranging from agriculture to advanced manufacturing. Portugal continues to reduce poverty and diversify its economy beyond tourism, which accounts for roughly one-fifth of Portugal’s GDP. Heavy dependence on tourism leaves workers vulnerable to seasonal employment and extremely sensitive to global disruptions. During the first half of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a cumulative GDP drop of 17%. These training centers play an important role in preparing workers for stable careers. Although nearly 1.9 million Portuguese citizens remain at risk of poverty, vocational education has expanded opportunities in sectors such as Port wine production, olive oil processing and automotive manufacturing. 

Unemployment continues to affect many workers, particularly young adults, who face an unemployment rate of 19.7%. Vocational training centers address this challenge by allowing graduates to transition into stable employment quickly. Portugal continues to expand sectors with long-term growth potential, particularly automotive manufacturing by adopting public-private partnerships through its National Qualifications system. This allows employers to shape curricula, provide apprenticeships and create employment pathways for graduates.

Industries Benefiting From Vocational Training Centers in Portugal

  1. Port Wine: Portugal’s Port wine industry employs more than 150,000 workers, from vineyard workers to logistics specialists and export managers. Vocational training centers, such as Academia Douro and Porto, and School of Port, prepare workers for careers in viticulture, fermentation technology, food safety, quality control and international marketing. These programs support both the wine industry and wine-driven tourism. As demand for Portuguese wine continues to grow, vocational education helps businesses remain competitive and creates careers that increase stability.
  2. Olive Oil: Portugal is Europe’s sixth-largest producer of olive oil, producing about 160,000 tons yearly. Vocational training programs, such as AgroB and UTAD’s Technology of Olive Oil programs, prepare workers for careers in food processing, agricultural technology, supply chain management, quality assurance and export management. As workers gain specialized skills, businesses increase productivity and create stable jobs.

Automotive Manufacturing

Portugal is investing in the expansion of sectors with long-term growth potential, such as its automotive components industry. Portugal produces parts for four major automakers: Volkswagen, Stellantis, Mitsubishi Fuso and Toyota, as well as partners with more than 220 automotive suppliers. The automotive sector currently accounts for about 5% of the nation’s GDP and employs 8% of the workforce. Portugal manufactures wiring systems, molds, electronics and precision parts. As electric vehicle popularity grows in Europe, demand for technicians, robotics specialists and industrial maintenance professionals also grows.

Government funding and partnerships with private employers finance modern training centers that focus on advanced manufacturing, agricultural technology and industrial automation. Portugal operates a National Qualifications System, with programs that focus on robotics, IT and polytechnic training. The European Union subsidizes these programs. This gives graduates the opportunity to be set up for a career path that shows long-term growth and low volatility, combating the 19% young adult unemployment rate. 

Looking Ahead

Vocational training centers in Portugal continue to strengthen the country’s workforce by preparing students for careers in Port wine production, olive oil processing and automotive technology. These programs reduce unemployment, increase incomes and diversify Portugal’s economy beyond tourism. As more workers gain technical skills and access to secure employment opportunities, vocational education will remain an important tool for reducing poverty.

– Julia M Kozin

Julia is based in Livermore, CA, USA and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Vocational Education Training Centers in Barbados

Vocational Educational Training Centers in BarbadosBarbados is a small country with a high population density that, on average, welcomes more than twice its permanent population in visitors yearly. Tourism is Barbados’ biggest employer, and yet it has often been reported that skills gaps exist that require more investment in vocational education. Here is more information about vocational education training centers in Barbados.

Barbados’ History

After Spanish colonizers forced the native population of Barbados to flee in the 16th century, the British were the first of the European explorers to reside in Barbados permanently in 1625. During the 1600s, the Royal African Company shipped African men, women and children to work as slaves on sugar plantations. It was a rare commodity at the time, and was the predominant export crop in Barbados for centuries.

After independence, the narrow resource base that the colonial administration left meant that the economy was vulnerable to external shocks. During the 1970s, a drop in sugar output helped to cause a downturn in Barbados’ economy.

The government thus shifted to seek growth from other sectors. A 1995 White Paper on Education Reform advocated for a shift from agrarian and manufacturing work to service and tech. It coincided with an entry to CARICOM’s Caribbean Single Market and Economy, a system where Barbadians and Caribbean islanders alike could move and trade freely. Thirty years later, tourism and its related industries are now the biggest employers and swallow up 25% of the workforce: a huge transformation over 60 years.

Education Reform

Education reform has followed a similar track in Barbados. The dominance of the sugar industry was a system suited to its colonizers and raises incredible similarities to the education system at independence that suited white British settlers. The availability and quality of education varied hugely across the island based on public or private status. There was limited access to secondary education, especially for the emancipated population, whereas white settlers would often send children back to the U.K.

Only after independence in 1966 did the government abolish school fees, pilot school meals and expand education so that access to secondary education was increased. It allowed for the University of West Indies to open its first campus on Barbados in 1963 and a plethora of Community Colleges and secondary schools followed suit.

Like the transition from agriculture to tourism, Barbados shifted its approach. Today, the successes of this post-independence academic education drive are evident. The literacy rate ranks highly at 99.6%.

Arguably, an overlooked factor has been the availability of skills training. A crucial misstep in the Ministry of Education occurred in the 1970s. It made student loans available for academic-oriented programs, but crucially left vocational and educational training centers out. Though it has now changed, the separation of vocational and academic education still continues.

Vocational Education Training Centers in Barbados Today

Today, vocational training qualifications are administered by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council (TVET). It offers more than 250 training programs at more than 60 centers in person with courses also available online. A number of these are catered toward tourism: individuals could receive training in barbering, bar service and community tourism. In a bid to make vocational training programs more popular, pre-vocational training programs were first piloted in six schools in the year 2000.

This has proved difficult. As the International Labour Organisation (ILO) made clear in 2014, “there is insufficient integration of the mainstream education and technical training.” The result is clear. “This arrangement impacts both on the ability to provide effective cross-sectoral education and training and on students, prolonging their period of movement through the system.” The organization directly linked youth training levels to employment levels.

Funding Cuts

Now, the government has cut funding to education. From 2000 to 2025, the proportion of total government spending on essential education services decreased from 22.2% to 14.2%. This may have a bigger impact on skills training than academia, which has historically received more funding than vocational educational training.

The result of funding cuts in the education sector may be seen in unemployment statistics for the country. Although the job creation rate is strongest in sectors like tourism, construction, manufacturing and retail, the highest unemployment rates are in the same industries, sitting at a 3% unemployment rate compared to 1% to 1.5% for other industries.

Underemployment is also highest for these sectors. This might indicate a skills mismatch in the tourism and tourism-related industries as employees do not have the skills to attain jobs in tourism. The reported failures by the Ministry of Education in providing vocational educational training might explain this as employers require skills that job-seekers do not have. 

An opposition senator iterated this point in a recent joint select committee about a new citizenship and immigration bill. Senator Walters identified that employers are instead seeking foreign workers for basic roles related to tourism like “warehouse assistant, sales associate, and a shop supervisor.” He stated that training institutions were failing Barbadians, “if we cannot fill those jobs, something is wrong with our education system.” His criticism fired shots at the Ministry of Education.

Vocational Training Around the World

Across the world, governments have developed vocational education programs to improve the employment rate and increase economic growth. Last year, the British government announced a new vocational qualification called V-levels to simplify vocational qualifications. In the U.S., recent survey data showed a rise in nondegree paths, especially those that offer vocational training. However, where other governments around the world have increased funding for vocational educational training, the Barbadian government has contravened this trend by decreasing essential education funding. 

Looking Ahead

Barbados is uniquely placed to capitalize upon the global trend of improving vocational qualifications. In a country which is densely populated with 86.3% of the population in urban hubs, it seems that agricultural dominance will no longer be the primary way to improve economic growth. Prioritizing academic improvement post-independence has been a successful part of the shift to prioritizing the service sector. However, funding cuts for essential education services pose a question about the impact this will have on vocational educational training centers and the employment of young Barbadians. The tourism sector is the biggest employer on the island, and vocational qualifications are purpose-built for this field. Prioritizing funding for vocational training may be the solution.

– Luke Buckland

Luke is based in London, UK and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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How Unpaid Care Work in Jamaica Shapes Economic Opportunity

unpaid care work in JamaicaWhen conversations turn to economic growth, discussions often center on job creation, trade or investment. However, one of the most significant contributors to a nation’s economy rarely appears in economic statistics: unpaid caregiving. Every day, millions of workers spend hours caring for children, older adults and family members without compensation. One of the most overlooked limitations of economic growth, like in many countries, is the unpaid care work in Jamaica. In particular, women shoulder the majority of this work due to unfair and dated gender norms, limiting their ability to participate fully in the labor force and affecting the country’s broader economic development.

Understanding Unpaid Caregiving

Unpaid caregiving includes raising children, preparing meals, cleaning the home and caring for elderly or sick relatives. While these responsibilities are essential to families and communities, they can be taxing for the caregivers themselves. Interviews conducted with unpaid family caregivers have highlighted the financial and emotional burden of balancing caregiving with work. Some caregivers reported reducing their work hours or leaving employment altogether to care for relatives, while others described the stress of managing caregiving responsibilities with little outside support. Their experiences illustrate how unpaid care can shape economic opportunity in everyday life.

The burden of unpaid care work falls especially heavily on low-income households. According to the World Bank’s 2025 Jamaica Poverty Assessment, persistent gender norms continue to limit women’s economic participation, making it harder for many families to escape poverty.

Impact on Women

For many Jamaican women, the challenges are not simply theoretical. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 80% of unpaid caregivers were women. The responsibilities of unpaid caregiving often come at the expense of women’s educational and professional opportunities. Time spent providing care is time that cannot be spent earning an income, pursuing additional training or advancing in a career.

The gender imbalance is strikingly consistent in Jamaica. According to the World Bank’s Jamaica Gender Assessment, Jamaican women spend 18.1% of each day on unpaid household and care work, compared with 8.2% for men. This disparity limits women’s time for paid employment, career advancement and income generation. These unequal caregiving responsibilities contribute to lower labor force participation among women, fewer opportunities for full-time employment and persistent gender gaps in earnings.

Broader Economic Consequences

The consequences of unpaid care work in Jamaica extend far beyond individual households. When women face barriers to employment because of caregiving responsibilities, families lose income, businesses lose skilled workers and the country loses productive economic potential. The International Labour Organization has emphasized that reducing unequal unpaid care responsibilities can increase women’s participation in the workforce and promote more inclusive economic growth.

These findings are echoed across the Caribbean. Researchers have found that women throughout the region continue to perform the vast majority of unpaid domestic work, despite increasing participation in education and the workforce. As a result, many women experience what experts describe as a “double burden,” balancing paid employment with extensive unpaid responsibilities at home, usually unaided by their male counterparts or other members of the household.

Shifting Perspectives

While statistics demonstrate the broader economic effects of unpaid caregiving, lived experiences are constantly shifting, hopefully toward improvement. In an interview with the International Women’s Forum, First Global Bank President Maureen Hayden-Cater reflected on gender equality, saying progress “happens when women and men have access to the same opportunities to be successful.” She added that while gender bias has not disappeared entirely, she believes the next generation, including her own daughters, will face a lower barrier than she did.

Policy and Development

Recognizing the value of unpaid care work in Jamaica is becoming an increasingly important part of development policy. International organizations, including the World Bank, the International Labour Organization and UN Women, argue that investments in affordable childcare, paid family leave and flexible work arrangements can help reduce barriers to women’s employment. Expanding access to quality childcare, for example, benefits working parents. It also strengthens labor markets and supports long-term economic growth because aiding parents with childcare allows them to participate more fully in the workforce.

Jamaica has already taken steps toward promoting gender equality through national gender policies and programs designed to improve women’s economic participation. However, experts note that continued investment in caregiving infrastructure and social support services could help more women enter or remain in the workforce while reducing poverty among families.

The World Bank, in partnership with the Government of Jamaica and the Government of Canada, launched the Jamaica Gender Assessment to identify barriers to women’s economic participation. The report highlights unequal unpaid care responsibilities and recommends actionable steps like expanding childcare services and workplace policies that enable more women to participate in the labor force.

Experts also emphasize that unpaid caregiving should not be viewed solely as a women’s issue. Care work sustains households, enables children to learn and allows older adults and people with disabilities to receive essential support. Recognizing its economic value can help policymakers design more effective labor, education and social protection policies that benefit entire communities.

Future Opportunities

As the country continues pursuing sustainable and inclusive economic growth, addressing unpaid care work in Jamaica will remain an important part of expanding opportunity. By recognizing care work, investing in services that support caregivers and creating policies that make it easier for women to balance family and employment responsibilities, Jamaica can unlock economic potential that has long gone unrecognized. Supporting caregivers is not only a matter of equality, though that is more than enough of a reason, but also an investment in sustainable development and economic growth.

Momentum is already building. As Jamaica continues expanding gender equality initiatives and international organizations increase support for childcare, labor protections and social services, policymakers have growing opportunities to reduce unpaid care burdens while strengthening economic resilience. Continued investment in caregivers could help thousands more women participate fully in the workforce while reducing poverty for families across the country.

– Gia Sen

Gia is based in Mansfield, MA, USA and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Technical Vocational Education Training Centers in Botswana

Vocational Education Training Centers in BotswanaTechnical vocational educational training (TVET) centers have emerged as pivotal tools to address poverty, empowering people with skills that support employment, financial independence, entrepreneurship and upward socioeconomic mobility. In Botswana, the government is actively promoting TVET to address high rates of unemployment among young people.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the unemployment rate among young Botswana is nearing 40%, with 52.1% of this demographic not engaged in any form of education, employment or training. Technical vocational education training centers in Botswana offer hands-on learning and prioritizes hard skills, creating faster routes into employment compared to a more general academic course. Programs target key industries such as engineering, construction, hospitality, business, agriculture, fashion and information and communications technology. However, historic barriers have proven hard to overcome.

Barriers to Vocational Training Education Centers in Botswana

About 26% of Batswana live in rural areas, making it difficult to access vocational training education centers in Botswana. Those from low-income families may struggle to afford the course fees. Technical vocational educational training has also long been hindered by the perception that it is less valuable than academic education and primarily intended for students who struggle academically.

But that is starting to change thanks to fresh government support for TVET programs and accompanying awareness campaigns. In April 2026, Parliament adopted the revised National Youth Policy, which targets five strategic areas: digital transformation, economic inclusion, STEAM/TVET education, AI innovation and rights-based empowerment. A Tertiary Education Students Sponsorship program now covers tuition expenses and provides a monthly living allowance (P2,200/$162) for eligible students, such as orphans or rural residents.

A Student’s Perspective

The Borgen Project interviewed Warona Baboloki Kabelo, who studies welding and fabrication at Maun Technical College. A typical day runs from 8:00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., and combines both classroom learning and practical workshop experience. His curriculum includes welding theory, technical drawing, engineering, mathematics and business enterprise.

“TVET has changed my life,” he told The Borgen Project. “Before studying welding and fabrication, I depended on other people to make or repair things. Today I have practical skills that allow me to solve problems independently.” In the future, Kabelo aims to establish his own engineering company, but his ambition doesn’t stop there: “I have an even bigger dream of helping develop locally designed vehicles. TVET gives young people the confidence and technical ability to dream beyond simply finding employment.”

Kabelo’s passion led him to found The Plug TVET, an advocacy platform dedicated to promoting TVET as a respected career pathway. “For many years, many people believed TVET was only for students who did not perform well academically,” he says. “I wanted to challenge that mindset.”

From Student to Lecturer: a Success Story

In an interview with The Borgen Project, Oagile Ompatile talked about his experience as a construction lecturer at Selebi Phikwe Technical College. It offers hands-on programs leading to a National Craft Certificate (NCC), covering courses in automotive mechanics, plumbing, carpentry, electrical installation, information technology, dressmaking and more. About 75% of the students here are male, though females account for the bulk of the textile and industry department. For many of these individuals, study is only possible due to governmental financial assistance.

“Many students are very much on their own financially. They only became interested in training when the government started providing a monthly allowance and covering tuition,” he explained. 

Ompatile points to himself as proof of the transformative power of technical vocational educational training in Botswana: “My family is not rich. I had failed my Junior Certificate [the national exam students sit at the end of lower secondary school, required for anyone wishing to pursue upper secondary education], and decided to do a trade certificate in plastering. After that, I began doing piece jobs.” When the government introduced an initiative sponsoring NCC holders for a diploma course, Ompatile jumped at the chance. He completed a diploma in architectural technology and secured an architectural post before going on to teach at Selebi Phikwe Technical College. 

Improving Lives

Today, Botswana has a number of public and private TVET institutions, offering certificate- and diploma-level programs. Among the larger public providers are Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Education, Gaborone Technical College, Palapye Technical College, Oodi College of Applied Arts and Technology, Maun Technical College, Selebi Phikwe Technical College and Jwaneng Technical College. 

Centers like these stand to benefit from increased government funding. The 2026/27 budget allocated P678 million ($49.9 million) under the Department of Skills Development to support skills training institutions and the coordination of TVET programs. A further P60 million ($4.4 million) will support the TVET Development Programme specifically.

Measuring the return on investment with TVET is extremely complex, and Botswana doesn’t offer any single quantifiable figure. However, the 2020 report by UNESCO and National Centre for Vocational Education Research, “Understanding the return on investment from TVET,” broadly estimates that every AU$1 ($0.70) invested in TVET produces a AU$0.31 ($0.21) societal benefit (after the investment is deducted).

Numbers aside, the citizens of Botswana can testify in their own words to the transformative power of this training. “We see a lot of young people on the streets, harassing members of the public and drinking alcohol,” notes Ompatile. “Many of the women quickly become mothers. This sort of training keeps them busy and improves their lives. Every student who completes a course, even those from poor families, can put something on the table with their own hands. In this way technical vocational educational training is a big success story.”

– Megan Sansom

Megan is based in Scotland and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Warona Baboloki Kabelo

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Addressing the Gender Wage Gap in Cabo Verde

Gender Wage Gap in Cabo VerdeCabo Verde is an archipelagic country off the coast of West Africa, where women make up just under half of the country’s total population. Despite the push to increase the labor participation rate amongst women and their presence within male-dominated fields, the gender wage gap in Cabo Verde still persists. This is largely due to a mixture of cultural norms and limited options of employment for women. However, landmark government reforms are aiming to combat this disparity.

Employment Opportunities

The labor participation rate amongst women is approximately 50.5%, an increase of 9.6% since the 90s. This is lower than the male participation rate, which is approximately 62.4%. This reveals how around 49.5% of women who are eligible to work in Cabo Verde are out of work.

For the women who are in employment, the opportunities that are available to them are limited. Although women hold 29% of senior and middle management roles within businesses, data from the World Bank reveals how the rate of vulnerable employment is higher amongst women than it is for men. This is work that has more informal arrangements and less social protection. 44.7% of women work within this industry, compared to 26.1% of men, fueling the gender wage gap in Cabo Verde.

Tourism offers many employment opportunities as it makes up 25% of Cabo Verde’s GDP. While women make up 60% of the labor within this industry, they earn 50% less than their male counterparts. Many women have short-term work contracts, a shortcoming that offers more instability for working women.

Marriage and Childcare

Early marriage and childcare responsibilities can limit women’s potential earnings which widens the gender wage gap in Cabo Verde. About 93% of non-employed women revealed that family responsibilities are their main reason for being out of work, with this issue being particularly prominent in rural areas.

According to UN Women, 8.4% of women aged 20 to 24 were married before they were 18. Early marriage can disrupt a woman’s education and her access to skills and resources needed to find good employment.

Efforts To Combat the Gender Wage Gap in Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde’s constitution guarantees equal rights for men and women. This is reflected in the Law of Parity, passed in 2019 which outlines a minimum quota of 40% in the representation of each gender within voting and electoral lists. By increasing female participation in politics, it strengthens the position of women within the workforce, minimizing the gender wage gap in Cabo Verde.

In 2023, UN Women, with the support of the Cabo Verdean Institute for Gender Equality and Equity commissioned the Action Plan for Gender Mainstreaming in Tourism. Its priorities include institutional strengthening, training and capacity building and women’s equality and empowerment. This resulted in the development of mentoring programs for women in male-dominated industries.

The impact of the expansion of vocational training for women enables them to gain important skills in business and financial literacy, combatting the gender wage gap in Cabo Verde. Katia Tavares is a recipient of the government’s program, where she undertook courses in a variety of fields. She chose to pursue a career in plumbing, a male-dominated field, due to its financial benefits. It marked a change from her previous job of selling clothes, where many days were unprofitable.

Women in the Workplace

In 2024, the Ministry of Finance in Cabo Verde implemented the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions, with a Gender Equality Commission formed to monitor the effective implementation of it within the workplace. It aimed to promote gender equality through government transparency. One of its key aims is the prevention and response to workplace harassment and gender-based violence.

This initiative highlights the next steps in ensuring women are safe as they enter the workplace. With many government initiatives in place, there is a clear drive to close the gender wage gap in Cabo Verde to create meaningful equality between men and women.

– Maya Tailor

Maya is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Vocational Education Training Centers in Iran

Vocational Education Training In IranVocational education training centers in Iran are giving young people a direct path from the classroom to the job market. These centers teach trades such as fashion design IT and construction, connecting graduates to industries that are actively hiring. The need is urgent: young people are increasingly being pushed to the margins of unemployment, with youth unemployment in Iran among young people ages 15-24 reaching 21.9%, according to the World Bank.

The Skills Gap 

Iran has invested heavily in general education over recent decades, literacy among young men and women now sits at 99%. Vocation training, however, has not kept pace with the same progress. Many VETCs still rely on outdated equipment and teaching methods, weak links to industry are leaving graduates without a clear path to employment.

This mismatch hits young women and low income youth the hardest. Even though women make up nearly 60% of Iran’s university students, only about 14% participate in the labor force. Indicating steep barriers when women try to translate education into paid work. Economic strain compounds the problem: currency swings, internet distributions and regional tensions have all weakened business confidence and slowed hiring over the past year, and employers increasingly favor experienced workers over new graduates.

The stakes go beyond unemployment. According to the World Bank, the share of Iranians living below the upper-middle-income poverty line was projected to rise from 33.2% in 2024 to 35.4% in 2025, with a further increase to 38.8% expected in 2026, driven by economic contraction and high inflation. This means that a growing share of families, many with young people entering the job market, are struggling to meet basic needs. For young people without vocational skills, this makes the transition into stable paid work harder.

A New Partnership 

A joint project between Iran and international partners is now working to minimize this gap. Since 2023, Iran’s Instructor Training Center (ITC) in Karaj, which has trained instructors for the country’s Technical and Vocational Training Organization (TVTO) since 1974, has partnered with UNESCO and South Korea’s international development agency, on the ‘Innovating Iran’s Instructor Training Center.’

The project, which runs through 2028, aims to modernize training centers curricula and facilities so that instructors are able to teach skills that accommodate a modern labor market rather than decades-old industry standards. The program includes training across seven different sectors including agriculture, construction, fashion design and sewing. The initiative also aims to build inclusion measures for women and underprivileged youth directly into its design. The results so far reach beyond the classroom: the project directly trains 35 master trainers, 2,500 trainees and about 250 instructors. Its updated methods reach 15,000 TVTO personnel and more than 1 million trainees across Iran’s wider vocational system each year.

Formal Employment 

Vocational education training centers in Iran do more than fill classroom seats; they change how young Iranians enter the workforce. Research from the Center of Economic policy shows that after Iran faced sweeping international sanctions in 2012, workers in the most exposed industries shifted sharply toward informal employment, which typically leads to lower pay and no access to social protections. Proving that vocational training can help offset this shift, by giving workers skills that transfer directly to formal registered jobs. For a country where economic shocks keep pushing workers into the informal sectors, expanding vocational training is not just an education policy; it’s a buffer against long term economic instability.

Looking Ahead

Vocational education training centers in Iran cannot fix every barrier facing the country’s young job seekers, but they show a workable model for closing the gap between education and employment. The ITC innovation project demonstrates that modernized training paired with real support produces measurable results. As Iran’s youth unemployment crisis deepens, continued investment in Education Training Centers in Iran from both the government and international partners offers one of the clearest paths towards a more resilient economy and a more hopeful future. 

– Alana Breslin

Alana is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Colombia’s Decreasing Unemployment Rate

Colombia's decreasing unemployment rateCompared to other Latin American countries, Colombia’s unemployment rate has always been notably higher. Currently, the average rate for Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the International Labor Organization, is 5.5%, whereas Colombia’s is 8.3%. This leaves many people and families in the country impoverished and food insecure, especially in families where both parents cannot work. However, despite being much higher than average, Colombia’s decreasing unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since 1994.

Unemployment in the Past

The lowest Colombia’s unemployment rate has been in recent decades was 7.8% in 1993, aligning with Latin America’s lowest until the average hit a new low in 2024. Despite this all-time low in the ’90s, the highest the unemployment rate reached was just seven years later in 2000 after Colombia’s 1999 economic crisis. This was caused by a rapid increase in public expenditure and major debt within private sectors, leading to a sharp drop in GDP growth. At its peak, the unemployment rate reached 20.5%, almost triple what it was in 1993.

Though Colombia was able to recover steadily after the recession, the rate began to increase again from 8.6% in 2015 to 16% in 2020, with the major spike mostly caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This worldwide event left people jobless everywhere, so it is no surprise that Colombia faced similar circumstances. However, despite this spike, the country recovered much faster than in 2000, with Colombia’s decreasing unemployment rates now being the lowest they have been this century, just three years after the pandemic was declared over.

What Has Changed?

  • The fertility rate has decreased. From 2000 to 2024, the fertility rate in Colombian women went from 2.5 to 1.6 children. A lowered fertility rate leads to fewer people requiring jobs as well as fewer parents being financially insecure, while also allowing more women to join the workforce since they have fewer, if any, children to care for at home.
  • Education rates have been rising as well. Colombia’s decreasing unemployment rate has gone hand-in-hand with rising education rates, especially among women. In 2019, only 73% of the population had an upper-secondary education, but that has already increased to 83% as of 2024. Higher education typically means more job opportunities, allowing more people to have jobs overall.
  • The enactment of mandatory disability hiring. As part of Colombia’s 2025 labor reform, policies forcing companies to meet a disability hiring quota, as well as training and accommodation for these new hires, are giving more people the opportunity to work in various sectors. This mandatory act is employing people who previously would have struggled to find places of work, causing the unemployment rate to decrease.
  • The enactment of new anti-discrimination policies. Another key part of the 2025 labor reform was various policies to prevent discrimination and harassment to make the workplace safer, especially for minorities. This will not only give more minorities, especially women, the chance to be hired, but it also will keep them working by helping them feel safe in the work environment.
  • Increased job availability in specific industries. Specifically, accommodation and food services, education and health care, transportation, and public administration have all contributed to the increasing job market. In addition to those, more citizens have been able to find work in the arts than in previous years.
  • Receiving outside organizational help. Specifically, nonprofits like the AVSI Foundation and Mercy Corps work to provide more job opportunities to those in need. The AVSI Foundation has educational programs and job placement help specifically targeted at low-income households and women. Meanwhile, Mercy Corps works in the agricultural sector of Colombia by helping farmers acquire land and better crops, having now supported over 3,200 farmers.

Looking Ahead

Colombia’s decreasing unemployment rate still has a long way to go to be on par with some of the surrounding countries, most notably in rural areas, which have seen much less improvement than urban ones. However, if it maintains its current decreasing rate by continuing the implementation of labor laws and giving more citizens the opportunity to work, mass unemployment in Colombia will be a thing of the past.

– Ally Jones

Ally is based in Bethany, OK, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Vocational Education in Sri Lanka

Vocational Education in Sri LankaBetween 1983 and 2024, devastation after devastation hit Sri Lanka, disrupting the economy and sky-rocketing the unemployment and poverty rates. During the height of the Sri Lankan Civil War between 1983 and 2009, upwards of 36% of youth, ages 18 to 24, were unemployed and about 23.4% of the population lived on $3 per day. Less than a decade after the war, ISIS bombed the country in 2019, drying up economic boosts tied to tourism and sinking the country into an economic crisis lasting for five years. Recently, the global pandemic and the U.S. and Iran war raised fuel prices, national unemployment and poverty rates remain high. However, both have been on a steady decline, partly due to the vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka, otherwise known as VETs.

Context of Northeast Sri Lanka

While tension between the Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic groups seems to originate out of cultural disputes, British imperialism certainly provoked it. Experts suggest that the Sinhalese community felt threatened due to the Tamil group’s prosperity growth, which was partly a response to British favoritism. Following imperial rule, the Sinhalese slowly gained power in government, gradually passing laws effectively disenfranchising Tamil people. The Sinhala Only Act, for instance, made Sinhala the only official language of Sri Lanka and created barriers for Tamil people seeking employment or roles within the government.

Discriminatory practices resulted in a proposition for Tamil Eelam, a separate state for Tamils. By the 1980s, Tamils lived almost entirely separate from Sinhalese, occupying the north and east while most Sinhalese lived in southern, western and central Sri Lanka. Following riots targeting Tamils in July 1983, now known as Black July, the Sri Lankan Civil War began. It devastated the country and its economy, lasting until 2009, when the Sri Lankan government announced that it killed the leader of Tamil Eelam.

The end of the war was certainly not the end of discrimination against Tamil people. Sinhalese culture has removed Tamil culture in areas of predominantly Tamil ethnicity, replacing monuments, road signs, street and village names and places of worship. According to a report by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the northeast of Sri Lanka, predominantly Tamil, is multi-dimensionally poor. Large tracts of privately owned land are under military occupation, and the World Bank has noted that 500,000 people lost their jobs due to the economic crisis between 2019 and 2024.

What Are VETs?

Vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka, specific types of programs focused on technical skills for individual jobs, are actively working to reduce unemployment rates. These programs differ from typical education in a number of ways, the key one being prioritization of hands-on experiences of learned skills. Implementation of these programs has been linked with economic growth, as it supports both a skilled workforce in the technical industry and enhanced employability for graduates.

The Impact of Vocational Education Training in Sri Lanka

Vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka have existed since 1893 with the formation of the Government Technical School, but following the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka Act No. 12 of 1995, several new programs were implemented, designed to increase employability. One such program is iLEAD, or the Initiative for Livelihood Education Development, which is part of Action Education. Founded in 2006, iLEAD has since trained more than 12,000 disadvantaged students and built 10 centers across the country, with five centered in northeast districts. Poverty rates have remained high in northeast Sri Lanka, where many still suffer the effects of the civil war, facing marginalization, unemployment and violence. Vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka like programs offered by Action Education have helped those affected receive certification in IT, sales and English, allowing students to obtain nationally and internationally recognized degrees and find employment.

Hope for the Economy of the Future

Focused on bridging the gap between the unemployed and access to education, programs like Action Education are slowly working to reduce poverty rates nationally. Vocational education training centers in Sri Lanka are still limited, and many don’t have proper accreditation, but others are working to increase confidence in young people, teaching them necessary competencies to perform skilled labor. Combating generational poverty that’s the result of a war, a global pandemic and an economic crisis takes time, but these programs are making a difference.

– Madalyn Youngbauer

Madalyn is based in Blaine, MN, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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How Vocational Education in Argentina Helps Reduce Poverty

Vocational Education in ArgentinaTechnical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is a method of education that teaches students practical skills and offers hands-on experience in the workplace. With more than one-third of Argentina living below the national poverty line and unemployment rates increasing to levels like those recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, access to education and employment opportunities remains critical. By providing skills that will help people acquire employment and succeed in their careers, vocational training in Argentina can help to reduce rates of unemployment and poverty.

Poverty in Argentina

Although there are many factors that contribute to poverty in Argentina, two factors that seem to be related to the risk of poverty are education level and employment status. Among Argentines who are aged 16 and older, 19.6% of those living below the poverty line do not have an education and 18.3% only have a primary education.

Additionally, in early 2025, Argentina reported an unemployment rate of 7.9%, the highest level recorded since 2021. This decrease in official employment corresponds with many workers transitioning to unreliable sources of income such as self-employment and casual jobs.

What Vocational Education Offers

TVET offers students skills and experience working in specific career fields such as:

  • Construction
  • Services (e.g., Administration, Tourism, Graphic Design, Multimedia Training and Computer Science)
  • Agriculture
  • Manufacturing (e.g., Mechanics, Energy, Electronics, Clothing and Textiles)
  • Health
  • Safety, Environment and Hygiene

TVET consists of three levels of vocational education. Secondary Technical Education combines general high school education with training in specific technical industries and teaches students about professional practices to prepare them for entering the workplace. After completing secondary education (technical or general), students can move on to Higher Technical Education, allowing them to specialize their skill set within a certain industry. Finally, Professional Training is offered to people already in the workforce so that they can improve, renew and acquire professional skills.

The Impact of Vocational Education in Argentina

After the socio-economic crisis that occurred in Argentina in the early 2000s, the government passed two laws that reestablished the importance of vocational education. In 2005, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Law (LETP as the Spanish acronym) was passed. A year later, the National Education Law (LEN as the Spanish acronym) replaced the Federal Education Law. The main goals of these laws are to:

  • Improve the coordination in Argentina’s education system across different regions
  • Address the unique needs of various school districts while complying with federal guidelines
  • Guarantee the right to an education
  • Improve the inclusivity and quality of higher education 

The LETP emphasizes increased funding and improving the quality of vocational education through updates in the curriculum, infrastructure and technology used to teach students.

These changes within the TVET system are important because higher education has been shown to reduce the risk of unemployment and increase average wages. Among unemployed Argentines, only 4.1% of them have a post-secondary education compared to 7.8% who do not have a secondary education and 7.2% who do. Additionally, people with a post-secondary education tend to earn 63% more in wages compared to people with just a secondary education.

In the early 1980s, the nonprofit organization Star of Hope established a small school in the remote region of Namqom that continues to help people develop practical skills to gain employment. Subjects taught at this school have included hairdressing, bricklaying, electrical engineering and cooking and baking. Selsa Diaz, a cooking and baking instructor, stated that the school’s primary objective was that “each student should be able to have some income” upon graduation. The 36 students at this school learn how to bake and cook various dishes. After completing their course work, students receive a diploma as proof of what they accomplished. Diaz remarked on the work ethic of her students stating that “everybody makes an effort to learn everyday.”

Looking Ahead

As the rates of poverty and employment have continued to rise in Argentina, the importance of learning practical skills and gaining job experience has become increasingly apparent. The TVET system seeks to empower students by giving them the knowledge, skills and confidence to obtain financial stability. By providing people with higher education and a chance to acquire skills that will benefit them in the workplace, vocational education in Argentina can also provide people with the opportunity to escape the cycle of poverty.

– Lily Alexander

Lily is based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr