Vanuatu Labour Statistics

A small nation like The Republic of Vanuatu located in the south pacific has its economy depending primarily on agriculture, tourism, and fishing. As a developing country labor statistics can play a crucial role in shaping the country’s development goals. Here are some of the significant labor statistics in Vanuatu and how they can help the country achieve its development goals.

1. Low employment rate Vanuatu has a low employment rate of around 31%, and this can be seen as significant challenge towards the country’s development. this low employment rate can result in limited job opportunities, lack of skills, or low education levels. To address this challenge, Vanuatu needs to invest in creating a conducive environment for businesses to grow, promoting entrepreneurship, and equipping the workforce with the necessary skills for current labor market needs.

2.High youth unemployment Vanuatu also has a high youth unemployment rate of around 26%. Youth make up a significant portion of the population, and addressing their unemployment challenges is critical to the country’s development. Encouraging entrepreneurship, vocational training, and promoting industries that can hire and engage the youth can address this challenge.

3.Informal sector dominance Around 80% of Vanuatu workforce is engaged in the informal sector, which often comes with low wages, limited job security, and poor working conditions. The government of Vanuatu can promote an enabling business environment, implement policies aimed at formalizing the informal sector, and offer incentives to the sector’s actors to reduce the dominance of the informal sector in the economy.

4.Gender gap Vanuatu labor market experiences gender gaps with women underrepresented in high-earning jobs or formal employment. Promoting gender equality, enacting laws that promote women’s inclusion in the workforce, and creating awareness of gender disparities in the labor market can help bridge this gap.

Therefore labor statistics play a crucial role in informing the country’s development goals. Addressing the employment, youth employment, informal sector dominance, and gender equality may help Vanuatu bridge the economic disparities that deny many citizens access to essentials services and uplift their standards of living.