How are social barriers mirrored in the economy, and what are levers to ensure more equitable opportunity for those historically marginalized?
Unemployment and underemployment are major obstacles to economic development and, in many settings, groups like women and youth face greater barriers to full participation in the labor force, and more fragile ties to paid work once working. These trends can have important knock-on effects in times of crisis–the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how existing inequalities were compounded and exacerbated by economic shocks. Our research aims to build evidence on how marginalized populations engage with (paid and unpaid) work, how they experience and rebound from economic shocks, and how policy levers can address underlying barriers – like skills – to promote more inclusive economic opportunity.
