Yemen needs to confront the unemployment crisis

Calling upon the government to pay particular attention to the social and political dangers of unemployment was the aim of a workshop held last week in Aden. It was conducted by the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) Developing Center for Childhood and Youth (DCCY) in cooperation with the Canadian Center for Development of Aden, titled ‘Unemployment among youths, reality and solutions.’

Participants asked the NGO to do surveys in order to give real statistics about unemployment in all governorates of Yemen. They asked only non-government sources because they will give real numbers and facts about unemployment which will not be done by government organization. 

Unemployment in Yemen has reached 34 percent, according to a report in 2006 issued by the Ministry of Planning and International Corporation. The report stated that less than half of working age young people are unemployed. Unemployment is on the raise according to the same report. There were around 188,000 graduates of 2006 while the government can only employ 16,000. The reports said that the number of graduates will increase during the coming years – and unemployment along with it. 

The report warned of the danger of unemployment, and that is the same thing that people are afraid of. “Unemployment can lead youths to be criminals, thieves and things which we cannot imagine,” said Islam Mohammed. “If the government does not do something serious that would really effect on the safety of the country.”  

Recent studies referred that unemployment in Yemen increased sharply due to the government failure to improve the economic policies and enhance living standards in Yemen. According to the 2006 annual economic report, the unemployment average in Yemen has rocketed up since 2003 – 05 to 34 percent, which is regarded as the largest figure so far.  

Unemployment in Yemen is a real hindrance to development as it has economical and social effects. Average daily income has been affected due to the recent price hikes and the increase of unemployment. Studies conducted by both local and international institutions show that poverty is the main cause of violence and crime.  

Young people spend their time hanging around in the streets, vulnerable to violence and crime as a result of unemployment

Poverty is another reason behind unemployment. Despite its location in the oil-rich Middle East, Yemen is still one of the poorest countries in the world, even with ongoing efforts to reduce poverty. With a population of 20 million people, 42 percent are living under the poverty line on under US $2 per day, according a report of 2005 by the government  

In addition, 13.2 percent of the total population is living near to the poverty line. The average annual individual income is US $450 and unemployment was running at 37 percent in 2003, according to World Bank statistics. 

International organizations consider Yemen one of the 30 lowest developed nations in the world. It was ranked 133 out of 162 countries, according to the UN Human Development Report for 2000.  

Experts say this figure is unlikely to change as the country faces very slow economic growth and is not able to provide enough jobs for the ever increasing population.

“I think poverty is another reason because many people cannot be put in schools due to education fees which many people cannot afford,” added Mohammed. So many people have more than 8 children in one family which cannot help them to educate and train them to be able to face the difficulties of life. “Nowadays, you cannot be employed if you do not have experiences and certificates. Education in our country is very bad,” added Mohammed.  

Youths should be given more attention in order to solve their problems. The government and non- organizations should work together. “Youths who are unemployed should be given more chances to have jobs. Private sectors and civil society organizations should be also encouraged to take part in development among youths,” said Mohammed Abudo, Director of DCCY, hoping that the workshop will do some changes in this serious problem. 

There are many reasons behind unemployment. Laziness is a serious reason; many people do not want work or even search for jobs, most of them depend on their families, said Saba Sultan, a university student. “Some youths do not want to work any job; they say that “I study business management, and you want me to work as a secretary, are you joking?” we are not supposed to be ashamed of our work if we do not work in the field that we have studied.” 

Sultan said that nepotism is another reason because there are youths, who are qualified, but they do not get their chances because they simply do not know an official person or not related to a famous family that can help him or her in getting job in any place they want. Every one should be given their own chances to prove themselves just as those who have nepotism do.   

Mohammed agreed with Sultan and said that people who know officials or even an employer in anyplace can get jobs while others have to wait for their own chances. 

Such problems cannot be solve only by one person or even by the government; individuals, organizations and civil society organizations must work together to do something for this insidious problem which would wrongly influence the community, said Ahmed al-Dhala’i, Deputy of the Governor of Aden, adding that investment should be improved in Yemen so that youths can find jobs.    Officials try their best to do something to solve this serious crisis; they do not turn a deaf ear to it. The Ministry of Social Affairs, particularly in its Aden office directs all its attempts to work against this phenomena by working together with other civil society organizations that considered the basic partner of any development, said Ayob Abu Baker, an official of Ministry of Social Affairs of Aden.     

Unemployment represented the most serious and biggest challenge to Yemen especially among youths who are the basis of any development. “Attempts should be together to do something serious to find solutions for this phenomena. Thousands of graduates should be entering the jobs market by given them chances,” said Mohammed Abudo, the director of DCCY. 

Participants demanded to raise awareness among youths, help them to be side by side with the new changes and encourage them to join the jobs market and establish their own small projects, as well as paying more attention to education particularly higher education to strongly enter the jobs market. 

Developing employment offices of responsible ministries is one of the recommendations; by doing such thing we can have trustful date about those who are applying for jobs and get information about jobs market which will help youths to find jobs whether with the government or private sector. Encouraging small bets which will help youths to start their own projects would take part in solving this crisis. 

Applying a new system for employment in the Ministry of Civil Services and Social Security based on transparency and achieving justice and availability of equal chances for job seekers among fresh graduates.   

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