Labor Markets in Low Income Countries

The Global Development Network (GDN) accepted labor markets as a theme for one of a limited number of workshops held prior to their annual conference in January in Dakar, Senegal. Leveraging the reputation and resources of GDN, this workshop drew 23 participants, primarily researchers from academic and research institutions in Africa who focus on labor markets or related fields of inquiry. Representatives from GTZ, ILO, and the World Bank also participated. The full-day workshop included discussion of research financed by the German TF on labor markets in Africa as well as a paper on South Asia. Two sessions featured labor research submitted and presented by participants. In the final session, participants discussed the need for better data and better use of existing data on labor markets, including linking household and labor force surveys and seeking better instruments for measuring women and children's activities. Finally, the following issues were identified as research priorities in improve understanding labor markets in low-income countries: (1) dynamics of informal sector/economy (survival vs. entrepreneurial); (2) impact of trade liberalization on employment; (3) migration; and (4) transferring lessons from countries that have been successful in creating new formal sector employment.

Presentations

 Labor Markets in South Asia: Issues and Challenges (130kb pdf)
Presenter: Elena Glinskaya, World Bank, South Asia Region
Discussant: M Absusaleh Shariff, National Council of Applied Economic Research, India

 Realizing the Potential of the Labor Force in Africa: Barriers and Opportunities (254kb pdf)
Presenter: Louise Fox, World Bank, Africa Region
Discussant: Tite Habiyakare, ILO Subregional Office, Senegal

 "The Business Environment for Job Creation" (429kb pdf)
Presenters: Stefano Scarpetta, World Bank, Human Development, and Benn Eifert, World Bank, Development Economics
Background paper: "Business Environment and Comparative Advantage in Africa: Evidence from the Investment Climate Data" (380kb pdf) by Benn Eifert, Alan Gelb and Vijaya Ramachandran

 "Why People Choose to Participate in the Informal Sector in Sri Lanka" (184kb pdf)
Presenters: Nisha Arunatilake, Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka
Discussant: Bakray Kinde, Ministry of Economy, Burkina Faso

 "Rural Labor and Migration in West and Central Africa: A Review of Research" (315kb pdf)
Presenter: Guy Blaise Nkamleu, University of Yaoundé
Discussant: Absusaleh Shariff, National Council of Applied Economic Research, India

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