Child poverty up in more than half of developed world since 2008
According to this 2014 article, a large population of youth in Europe is now living under the poverty line as a result of the increasing debt crisis that began in 2008. UNICEF claims “the number of children entering poverty during the recession is 2.6 million greater than the number who have been lifted out of it.” Trapped in the cycle of poverty, young adults have been the most affected, with 7.5 million in the European Union not enrolled in education or employed. The author provides a comprehensive report on the effects of the recession on youth poverty, specifically in Europe.
Sherwood, Harriet. “Child poverty up in more than half of developed world since 2008.” The Guardian. 28 October 2014. Web. 6 November 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/28/child-poverty-developed-world-unicef-report-global-recession>.
Generation jobless
This article explains the magnitude of youth unemployment across the world, analyzes its root causes, and describes its effects on the world economy. According to The Economist, around 290 million people between the ages of 15 to 24 are “NEETS: not in employment, education or training.” Overall almost half of the world’s youth are not contributing economically, or are contributing in a way that does not meet their full potential. Joblessness is a growing issue worldwide. Developed countries, such as Spain and France, as well as developing countries, such as Morocco and Egypt, struggle with high youth unemployment despite their differing stages of development. Employment laws and training gaps, along with the large disparity between skill and need, cripple many youth employment opportunities. Despite the unoptimistic statistics presented in this piece, the authors conclude with offering insight on how policymakers are creating strategies to diminish high unemployment rates, and spark economic growth among youth.
“Generation jobless.” The Economist. 27 April 2013. Web. 6 November 2015. <http://www.economist.com/news/international/21576657-around-world-almost-300m-15-24-year-olds-are-not-working-what-has-caused>.
Generation Ni/Ni: Latin America’s Lost Youth
José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Director of the Employment Sector at the International Labour Organization, explains that the 15 percent youth unemployment rate in Latin America and the Caribbean has a powerful and detrimental impact on the development of the nations in the region. Among the youth population, one in five belong to Generation Ni/Ni (Ni estudian, Ni trabajan), which means they neither work nor study. As of 2012, young people between the ages of 12 and 25 committed 80 percent of petty crimes in the streets of Latin America. According to Salazar-Xirinachs, “Joblessness, social deprivation and lack of involvement in the community contribute to rising violent crime and fraying social cohesion.” The author explains that the rising number of socially excluded youth in this region has the potential to undermine existing positive trends in poverty and crime reduction. This article identifies the growing challenges in the region and recognizes the emerging programs aiming to resolve the issue of high youth unemployment rates.
Salazar-Xirinachs, José Manuel. “Generation Ni/Ni: Latin America’s Lost Youth.” Americas Quarterly. 2012. Web. 5 November 2015. <http://www.americasquarterly.org/salazar>.
The Health Impact of Child Labor in Developing Countries: Evidence From Cross-Country Data
The authors of this study examine correlations between health and child labor in order to analyze the health implications of children working at such a young age. Through effective distribution and analysis of data from 83 countries, the authors provide a comprehensive report on the detrimental effects the workforce has on the health of youth workers, supporting their findings that child labor has a direct influence on the rise of malnourished populations, infectious diseases and adolescent mortality. Nevertheless, the authors call upon a further study to identify more detailed short-term and long-term effects of child labor.
Roggero, Paola, Viviana Mangiaterra, Flavia Bustreo, and Furio Rosati. “The Health Impact of Child Labor in Developing Countries: Evidence From Cross-Country Data.” American Journal of Public Health. March 2007. Web. 5 November 2015. <http://www.researchgate.net/publication/6605674_The_health_impact_of_child_ labor_in_developing_countries_evidence_from_cross-country_data>.