2012年-世界发展银行全球_Can_Skills_Training_Programs_Increase_Employment_for_Young_Women____The_Case_of_Liberia_4页_1mb

Can Skills Training Programs Increase Employment for Young Women? The Case of Liberia

Core Content

The World Bank's Adolescent Girls Initiative (AGI), launched in 2008, aims to increase employment opportunities for adolescent girls and young women by addressing gender-specific barriers. The initiative is being piloted in eight low-income countries, including Liberia, where youth unemployment is a significant challenge.

Liberia has a very young population, with over 60% under the age of 24. Many young people, especially young women, face limited access to formal employment and often rely on informal work or daily labor. Gender norms and safety concerns further restrict young women's ability to pursue education and employment.

The Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (EPAG) project, a key AGI initiative, was implemented in Liberia from 2009 to 2012. It combined six months of classroom training with six months of placement and support, including micro-enterprise advisory services and job placement assistance.

Main Points and Key Information

Program Design

• Tailored to Girls' Needs: Training sessions were held in the morning and afternoon to accommodate busy schedules, and in local communities. Free childcare was provided to support participation.
• Incentives: Attendance prizes, contests, and business plan competitions were used to motivate participation.
• Support Systems: Volunteer coaches and peer groups were integrated to provide ongoing support.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Unannounced visits and performance bonuses ensured quality and accountability.
• Training Content:
  • 70% of participants received Business Development Skills (BDS) training.
  • 30% received Job Skills (JS) training, with all trainees also receiving life skills training.
• Stipends and Bonuses: Trainees received small stipends and a $20 USD completion bonus.

Target Population

• Originally targeted young women aged 16 to 24 with basic literacy and numeracy skills who were not in school.
• The age limit was later increased to 27 due to recruitment challenges.
• Recruitment took place in nine target communities around Monrovia and Kakata City.

Impact Evaluation

• A randomized pipeline research design was used to compare outcomes between treatment and control groups.
• The treatment group (1273 trainees) showed significantly better outcomes than the control group (769 trainees).
• Employment increased by 50% among treatment group participants, compared to a 20% increase in the control group.
• Business skills trainees had the highest employment rate (76%) and were more likely to be self-employed.

Key Outcomes

• Income Increase: The treatment group's average weekly income increased by 115%, driven largely by higher employment rates.
• Savings Growth: Trainees in the treatment group had an average of $44 USD more in savings than the control group, including both formal and informal savings methods.
• No Increase in Borrowing or Lending: There was no significant change in the rate of borrowing or lending between the groups, suggesting that the economic benefits were not immediately translated into increased financial activity.

Policy Implications

• EPAG demonstrates that skills training can be effective in increasing employment among young women, especially when it includes business and life skills.
• Business skills training is more effective than job skills training in the Liberian context, where wage employment opportunities are limited.
• The program's high cost reflects its comprehensive approach, but the returns on investment are promising, with business skills trainees expected to recover costs in two years and job skills trainees in eight years.
• The program has contributed to the creation of a new Adolescent Girls Unit within the Ministry of Gender and Development to mainstream gender-sensitive policies.

Future Plans

• The program's long-term impacts will be analyzed through an end-line survey.
• Further research will explore:
  1. Whether the program changed socio-economic behaviors and outcomes.
  2. The extent of girls' empowerment and agency.
  3. How results vary by age, community, and other factors.
  4. Whether the positive effects for young women also benefited their families.

Conclusion

EPAG has shown significant success in improving employment and income for young women in Liberia, particularly through business skills training. Its innovative design, community-based approach, and holistic support system have contributed to high participation and positive outcomes. These results highlight the potential of skills training programs to empower young women and suggest the need for continued investment and policy support in this area.