Nine countries, over 15,000 respondents: this is how young people in the region are
All the countries of the region have particular characteristics and have their own results. However, on average, 41% of young people in Latin America and the Caribbean are only studying or receiving training; 21% are only working; 17% are carrying out both activities and the remaining 21% belongs to the group of ninis (young people who neither study nor work).
Among men who neither study nor work, job search is the most common activity, and the care of children or relatives, the most frequent among women. That is, they are young people dedicated to productive activities, despite being considered unemployed by employment statistics.
Authors: Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada de Brasil (IPEA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Young ninis show a more unfavorable socioeconomic situation than the rest and tend to present a lower performance in almost all indicators of cognitive and technical skills. However, they have non-cognitive skills similar to those of other youth groups.
Authors: IDB and Espacio Público
Women are overrepresented in the ninis group and early motherhood is a relevant factor to explain it. Among men, on the other hand, early fatherhood has a less decisive effect on their educational and work trajectories.
Authors: Facultad de Economía and Centro de Estudios sobre Desarrollo Económico (CEDE) of Universidad de los Andes.
The main obstacle faced by young people to continue their studies is the lack of economic resources, followed by citizen insecurity (men) and care tasks (women).
Authors: Fundación Salvadoreña para el Desarrollo Económico y Social (FUSADES)
Interestingly, ninis are not the ones dedicating more time to leisure. In fact, they spend more time performing tasks of care and domestic tasks than other young people. Parents have a less positive opinion and an expectation of less achievement on their children.
Authors: Centro de Estudios Espinosa Yglesias (CEEY)
Ninis report lower levels of cognitive skills, self-confidence and personal satisfaction. They believe to a greater extent that their own results are due to external incidents and show lower expectations about reaching their studies and desired jobs.
Authors: Centro de Análisis y Difusión de la Economía Paraguaya (CADEP)
The situation of young people depends to a large extent on their home of origin. Those who only study come from richer and better educated families; those who only work, come from poor, rural homes, more numerous, less educated and single-parent.
Authors: Grupo de Análisis para el Desarrollo (GRADE) and Young Lives (Universidad de Oxford)