Socio-Demographic Determinants of Urban Unemployment: The Case of Addis Ababa

Abstract

This article examines the association between socio-demographic variables and unemployment in urban Ethiopia with a special emphasis on Addis Ababa using data taken from CSA's National Labor Force Surveys of 1999 and 2005.
Differences in the labor market outcomes are observed due to variations in sociodemographic characteristics among the working-age population. The overall findings imply that women and the youth, particularly those below tertiary level of education, are, at any rate, the foremost victims of unemployment who require due emphasis and special attention. Accordingly, some recommendations such as focusing on training & skill formation and stimulating employment opportunities are put forward.