Youth and Women Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa

The article discusses the possibility of implementing some African countries one of the main directions of overcoming absolute poverty − employment of able-bodied population, improving the efficiency of labor. It is emphasized that the employability of youth and women played an important role in poverty reduction. The focus is on the fact that in the informal economy of Tropical Africa that the vast majority of young people and women find work. The few jobs that are created for employees in the formal sector of the economy are primarily held by men. Thus, women in Tropical Africa tend to work in unprotected employment. At the same time, the high economic activity of women in the region could be a positive factor in accelerating economic growth if productivity and working conditions improved. The author shares the opinion of sociologists, who believe that the problem of women’s employment is directly related to the opportunities of women in education. It is emphasized that in many countries of the region, the economic activity of these groups of population is influenced by traditional norms of behavior. There are many options for programs to improve the labor market and the social protection system. The preference for a programme depends on the specific circumstances, social priorities and financial capacity of the African country concerned. Examples of interaction between international structures, individual countries of the world and African organizations in solving the problem of employment of youth and women of the continent are given.