Youth and Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa Working but Poor

It is widely acknowledged that youth unemployment is one of the most critical challenges facing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. This volume brings together an eminent group of international scholars to analyse the extent and complex nature of this joblessness, and offer a set of evidence-based policy choices that could contribute to solving the problem in the short- and long-run. Part I reviews the existing literature on youth unemployment and underemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa from microeconomic and macroeconomic perspectives, while Part II goes on to present detailed country studies of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. These studies offer a deep understanding of the situation on the ground and consider country-specific solutions.Throughout the book it is argued that the standard ILO definition of unemployment is too narrow to correctly portray employment situations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Several alternative measures of unemployment are presented, which show that joblessness is far more pervasive than commonly assumed in the literature.This volume will be of interest to academics and policy makers involved in African development.

Foreword Akihiko Tanaka Preface Hiroyuki Hino and Gustav Ranis 1. Introduction and Summary Hiroyuki Hino, William Lyakurwa and Samuel Mwakubo Part I: Review of Literature and Global Practices 2. Macroeconomic Perspectives Gustav Ranis and Douglas Gollin 3. Microeconomic Perspectives Marianne Bertrand and Bruno Crepon Part II: Country Studies 4. Ethiopia Nzinga H. Broussard, John Page and Tsegay Gebrekidan Tekleselassie, with Tadele Ferede and Hansa Teklay Reda 5. Ghana Ernest Aryeetey, William Baah-Boateng, Charles Godfred Ackah, Kim Lehrer and Isaac Mbiti 6. Kenya Boaz Munga, Othieno Nyanjom, Eldah Onsomu and Germano Mwabu 7. South Africa Martin Abel, Megan Blair, Raissa Fabregas, Kamilla Gumede and Murray Leibbrandt

Hiroyuki Hino is Professor of Economics at Kobe University, Japan. He is also Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya.Gustav Ranis is Frank Altschul Professor Emeritus of International Economics at Yale University, USA.