This archive report was first published on 18 December 2019.
According to a recent Human Development Report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), published on December 18, 2019, at least 200,000 Kenyans entering the labour market are unemployable. This alarming figure compounds the high joblessness levels in the country.
The report attributes the unemployability of these individuals to the widening inequalities in access to education and healthcare. A staggering one million people enter the labour market every year, but the economy is only creating around 100,000 positions, resulting in fierce competition for available slots.
UNDP Resident Representative Walid Badawi noted that children from poor families may not be able to afford education and are at a disadvantage when trying to find work. This compounds layers of disadvantage, leading to the poor getting poorer.
Badawi also highlighted that while Kenya has made significant improvements in human development, it still ranks poorly among countries. Kenya tied with Nepal at position 147 out of 189 countries. Despite this, average incomes in Kenya have risen by 34% over the last three decades, life expectancy has increased by 8.9 years, and school attendance has risen by 2.8 years.
UN Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee emphasized that the inequality is costing Sub-Saharan Africa $95 billion (Sh9.5 trillion) a year in lost opportunities, with unpaid work among stay-at-home women being a significant contributing factor.
