'Ninis' Are a Growing Social Problem in Latin America Jorge Chaparro - The News
go to original October 14, 2015

Millions of young Mexicans are having trouble finding jobs or getting an education in their country. (CCTV)

In Latin America, close to 22 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 29, some 30 million people, are unemployed and not in school. They have been given the derogatory name of “ninis,” since “ni” means neither or nor in Spanish.

According to the Social Panorama of Latin America 2014 study by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC), 70 percent of this group is young women who primarily live in urban centers.

Young people are being excluded from two institutions that are fundamental for development — education and employment. In addition, 55 percent of young people, who aren’t in school or who don’t have paid employment, are responsible for domestic labor or caring for sick family members or younger siblings, according to the study.

A quarter of this unoccupied group is looking to enter the job market for the first time. Another 5 percent have some type of disability, making it more complicated to get a job. A large point of concern is that 15 percent of these young people remain stagnant for no clear reason. This subgroup is the core of the exclusion issue.

Read the rest at The News

Photo: Cuartoscuro/Enrique Ordóñez

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