The Africa Region and Social Protection & Labor Sector are pleased
to sponsor this presentation by

Robert McCutcheon
Professor, University of Witwatersrand

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Creating employment is a huge challenge in many countries because of the increasingly large cohorts of youth entering the labor market, high unemployment rates, and the limited absorption capacity of the labor market.  Twenty years ago, a study by the Bank concluded that labor could be a good substitute for capital.  Is it still the case?  Can labor-intensive public works be a viable solution to unemployment?  Prof. Robert McCutcheon, a well-known expert on the subject, will discuss the pros & cons and does & don'ts with a special focus on low-income countries.

Paper for Discussion

"Labour-intensive Construction and Maintenance in Sub-Saharan Africa: The World Bank played a critical role during the 1970s and 1980s; What are the prospects for the future?" (103kb pdf)