More inclusive and more efficient: An inclusive approach to support policies for NEET youth in Moldova

This report aims to elucidate the situation of NEET (not in education, employment, or training) youth in the Republic of Moldova and to provide recommendations for legislative measures that would address the phenomenon in a more comprehensive manner. However, the lack of structural measures in this context will lead to the long-term preservation of current trends. Considering that prolonged periods of NEET status for young people cause devastating effects, negative trends will inevitably be recorded. Thus, it is indispensable to apply structural measures such as: making the place of study more flexible, measures to facilitate the transition process from studies to employment, developing childcare services at the place of study, etc.

According to the World Bank, in 2020, the unemployment rate among young people up to 24 years old was 17.9%. In the Republic of Moldova, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15-24 was 9.2%, three times higher than the general unemployment rate.

The economic crisis and the pandemic have had a direct negative impact on the labor market in the Republic of Moldova. They have been felt most by vulnerable groups, affecting, in particular, women employed with children, employees with disabilities, and the elderly. At the same time, at a global level, data show that one of the most aggravating situations is that of young people who are not part of the employed population, do not study/learn within the formal education system and do not participate in any courses or other training outside the formal education system (NEET). The United Nations claims that the most affected group on the labor market during the pandemic crisis were young people, with a major increase in the NEET rate expected in the coming years. In the Republic of Moldova, the situation of young NEETs is also alarming, with the rate constituting 29.8% of all young people in the country (15-34 years old) in the second quarter of 2022.

Available only in Romanian.

Source: Partnership for Development Centre, 2023