The 29-year-old studied counseling expecting to find a civil service job, in line with what used to be a typical life path for college-educated Jordanians. The Dhiban unrest highlights what the Jordanian government now says is its biggest challenge— rising unemployment, particularly among the young, fueled by an economic slump and spillover from conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Youth unemployment is endemic in the troubled Middle East, where a demographic "youth bulge" has increased the number of jobseekers, including college graduates, while economies have stalled amid spreading violence. The government needs to take urgent action, said economist Omar Razzaz, who chairs a national team of experts trying to devise a new employment strategy. [...] tens of thousands of Syrians worked informally in construction, farming and retail — sectors until then dominated by migrant workers from Africa and Asia because the jobs paid too little to attract Jordanians. In exchange, Europe eased trade restrictions to encourage investment in Jordan, while donors, including the World Bank, promised concessional financing and grants for development and labor-intensive projects in the country. Razzaz, the economist, said that in the meantime, the government should launch an ambitious public works program, including employing large numbers of Jordanians to care for children and the elderly. The government and donor countries have funded pilot programs that fall short of needs, he said.
Jordan Instability Fears As Growth Slows, Unemployment Rises
By KARIN LAUB, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle: World
Sun, 08/14/2016 - 2:19am
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