Exploring the Diversity of Young People Not in Employment, Education or Training : The Gender Profile of NEETs in Georgia and Armenia

The analysis presented in this study points to persistent and high numbers in Georgia and Armenia of youth who are jobless and/or economically inactive and with limited access to learning and/or training opportunities, and these figures are among the highest in the ECA region. As many as 31 percent youth aged 15-29 in Georgia and 33 percent in Armenia are not in employment, education, or training (NEET). In Georgia, the phenomenon is mostly urban, whereas in Armenia it's both rural and urban. NEET rates are consistently higher among female than male youth, pointing to the fact that being female is a risk factor itself for labor market exclusion, and gender disparities. In addition to gender gaps, there are important gender differences in the condition of those who are NEET: economic inactivity - in the form of homemaking and/or caregiving work - is the most prevalent condition among NEET women, whereas unemployment is the most common status among NEET men. With regards to education, Georgia and Armenia stand out as cases where higher educational attainment does not necessarily prevent young people from becoming NEETs, and the NEET rate among higher education graduates is even bigger (particularly among women) than for those with lower education. This is a strong sign of mismatch between the demand and supply side of labor market. The economies of these countries are not able to create an adequate supply of skilled jobs for graduates, and there is persistent subsistence low-productivity employment the agriculture sector