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Labor Market Dynamics in Tunisia: The Issue of Youth Unemployment

Author

Listed:
  • Stampini Marco

    (Inter-American Development Bank)

  • Verdier-Chouchane Audrey

    (African Development Bank)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the dynamics of the youth labor market in Tunisia using unique labor force survey data from 2005 to 2007 that include a longitudinal component. We show that sustained economic growth can reduce the youth unemployment rate by 15 percentage points over the next few years. Tourism is the sector with the highest potential to create jobs for the youth. Yet, the public sector remains the main provider of employment for the graduates, in particular for women. In the face of high turnover in the private sector, young graduates appear to be willing to experience long unemployment spells as they queue for high skill jobs in the public administration.

Suggested Citation

  • Stampini Marco & Verdier-Chouchane Audrey, 2011. "Labor Market Dynamics in Tunisia: The Issue of Youth Unemployment," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 7(2), pages 1-35, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:rmeecf:v:7:y:2011:i:2:n:1
    DOI: 10.2202/1475-3693.1394
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Agenor, Pierre-Richard & Nabli, Mustapha K. & Yousef, Tarik & Jensen, Henning Tarp, 2007. "Labor market reforms, growth, and unemployment in labor-exporting countries in the Middle East and North Africa," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 277-309.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Zuzana Brixiová & Thierry Kangoye, 2014. "Youth Employment in Africa: New Evidence and Policies from Swaziland," AIEL Series in Labour Economics, in: Miguel Ángel Malo & Dario Sciulli (ed.), Disadvantaged Workers, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 181-202, Springer.
    2. Ali Souag & Ragui Assaad, 2018. "The impact of the action plan for promoting employment and combating unemployment on employment informality in Algeria," Middle East Development Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 272-298, July.
    3. Ali Fakih & Nathir Haimoun & Mohamad Kassem, 2020. "Youth Unemployment, Gender and Institutions During Transition: Evidence from the Arab Spring," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 311-336, July.
    4. Brixiova Zuzana & Egert Balazs & Essid Thouraya Hadj Amor, 2014. "The Real Exchange Rate and External Competitiveness in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 10(1), pages 1-27, April.
    5. Zuzana Brixiova & Thierry Kangoye, 2013. "Working Paper 175 - Youth Employment in Africa: New Evidence and Policies from Swaziland," Working Paper Series 472, African Development Bank.
    6. Kwabena A Kyei, 2015. "Level and Factors of Women’s Employment in the Sekhukhune District in the Limpopo Province of South Africa: Some Discriminant Analysis," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 7(2), pages 131-138.
    7. Marco Stampini & Ron Leung & Setou M. Diarra & Lauréline Pla, 2013. "How Large Is The Private Sector In Africa? Evidence From National Accounts And Labour Markets," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 81(1), pages 140-165, March.
    8. Eleonora Bertoni & Giorgio Ricchiuti, 2017. "A Multilevel Analysis of Unemployment in Egypt," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 31(4), pages 494-514, December.
    9. Ragui Assaad & Samir Ghazouani & Caroline Krafft & Dominique J. Rolando, 2016. "Introducing the Tunisia Labor Market Panel Survey 2014," IZA Journal of Labor & Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-21, December.
    10. Zuzana Brixiova & Balázs Égert & Thouraya Hadj Amor Essid, 2013. "Working Paper 187 - The Real Exchange Rate and External Competitiveness in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia," Working Paper Series 991, African Development Bank.
    11. AfDB AfDB, . "ORNA - North Africa - Annual Report 2014," Annual Report, African Development Bank, number 2139.
    12. AfDB AfDB, . "North Africa Quaterly Analytical - Impact of Libya’s Conflict on the Tunisian Economy - A Preliminary Assessment - Issue 2," Country Brochure, African Development Bank, number 323.
    13. Bakari, Sayef, 2015. "La question du chômage des jeunes diplômés en Tunisie : Evolution, caractéristiques, limites et perspectives (1990 – 2014) [The issue of unemployment of young graduates in Tunisia: Evolution, chara," MPRA Paper 74702, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. AfDB AfDB, . "The AfDB Group in North Africa 2014," Country Brochure, African Development Bank, number 2138.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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