Representatives from ten Latin American countries met in San José to learn about and exchange information on the programs promoted in their respective countries for the employment of adolescents and young people.

The activity also served as a framework to discuss specific strategies that can contribute to understanding and addressing the specific challenges of transition from school to work for adolescents above the minimum age for admission to employment, but under 18 years of age.

Those summoned to the meeting are officials from the employment and / or child labor departments responsible for the design or implementation of specific programs aimed at promoting youth employment. These delegates also shared with representatives of the workers 'and employers' sector and ILO officials, during the days between December 5 and 8, 2016.

The internship and exchange of experiences was carried out in follow-up to the South-South Cooperation agreements identified in the South-South Cooperation Roundtable held within the framework of the Regional Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean free of child labor, in July 2015 in Brasilia. With this activity, the agreements signed at the last meeting of the Council of Ministers of Labor of Central America (June 2016) were also followed up.

The effort is part of a process that is being developed in the region that seeks, among other aspects, to deepen the understanding of the factors that determine a successful transition from school to work.

In the opening ceremony of the meeting, the Director of the ILO Office for Central America, Haiti, Panama and the Dominican Republic reinforced the historical commitment of this organization with the efforts aimed at promoting decent work for adolescents and young people. prevent and eradicate child labor. "Child labor and precarious youth employment can lead to conditions of vulnerability, marginalization and social deprivation," said the Director. Hence, in the face of child labor and precarious youth employment, it is necessary to articulate policy responses that are coherent and comprehensive ”. 

The activity was organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Costa Rica, the ILO Office for Central America, Haiti, Panama and the Dominican Republic and the Regional Initiative for Latin America and the Caribbean free of child labor; and included country presentations, talks, group work, and visits to various actors to learn about the projects being developed in Costa Rica.

The countries participating in the activity were: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru and the Dominican Republic.

Some data from the region

• In Latin America and the Caribbean there are approximately 108 million young people between 15 and 24 years of age, which represents 18 percent of the total population. Of these, 37 million only study, 35 million only work and 13 million work and study. A very high proportion of those who work or work and study do so in informal activities, around 56 percent.

• Of the 12.5 million boys, girls and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17 who are subjected to child labor in the region, 9.6 million perform hazardous work.

• 21 million young people neither study nor work. Of this total, 24 percent are looking for a job and the rest, 76 percent are not looking for it. Of the total NEETs not seeking employment, 11 million were engaged in household chores, the vast majority (91 per cent) of young women. This is possibly related to cultural patterns that limit the employment of these young women.

More information about the meeting, here .