Better Jobs: Evidence from the Life in Transition Survey

Jobs are the surest path out of poverty, but not all jobs are the same. “Good jobs” provide not only income but also stability, security, and benefits that enhance well-being and strengthen communities.

These distinctions became evident in the latest Life in Transition Survey (LiTS) conducted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in collaboration with the World Bank. More than half (54%) of respondents identified sufficient income as the most important characteristic of a good job, followed by job stability (23%), good working conditions (11%), and benefits (5%). Yet these features are often missing in the widespread informal employment found across Europe and Central Asia (ECA), and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

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Beyond the numbers: Key trends reshaping Latin American jobs

Jobs are the main driver of poverty reduction. They help build more resilient and self-sufficient societies, reduce the need for humanitarian aid, and address the root causes of unrest and migration. Jobs were the key to fighting poverty in Latin America during its last period of sustained poverty reduction (2009-2014): strong employment creation and wage growth drove two-thirds of the decrease in poverty rates. After this prosperous timeframe, both poverty and labor market conditions have remained largely stagnant across the region (COVID-19 aside).

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The hidden jobs engine: unleashing the potential of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa

A common misunderstanding persists about job creation in Africa. Many envision cities as the epicenters of economic opportunity. Yet for millions in Sub-Saharan Africa, the path to decent work still winds through agriculture. With youth unemployment rising and cities unable to absorb the growing labor force, agriculture—still the region’s largest employer—must be transformed into a more productive, appealing, and innovative sector.

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DIGITAL PATHWAYS FOR JOB CREATION

DIGITAL PATHWAYS FOR JOB CREATION
📅 FRIDAY, APRIL 25 | 12:00 PM* – 1:30 PM ET | PRESTON AUDITORIUM

You are invited to participate in this invitation-only event during the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group & IMF.

OVERVIEW OF THE SESSION
Join us for this event to explore how digital transformation is reshaping the global job market. Learn how governments and the private sector are closing skills gaps, preparing workers for the future, and adapting regulatory frameworks to support inclusive, resilient economies. Hosted by the World Bank Group’s Digital and ITS Vice Presidencies, the event will spotlight the transformative power of technology in shaping the future of work.
*Light lunch will be available starting at 11:30 am.

Spring Meetings 2015

With 1.2 billion young people in emerging economies reaching working age over the next decade—and only about 420 million jobs expected to be generated—the urgency of finding scalable and sustainable solutions has never been greater.

SPRING MEETINGS 2025

Jobs – The Path to Prosperity

Tuesday, April 22, 2025
2:00-3:30 PM EDT/GMT-4 (local time)

Event | Spring Meetings 2025: Jobs – The Path to Prosperity | World Bank Live

This event tackles one of the defining and complex challenges of our time: how to meet the stable employment aspirations of the developing world’s fast-growing youth population.

Through powerful stories of young entrepreneurs, dialogue with private sector executives, and insights from World Bank Group leadership, the session will explore how to energize the creation of more and better jobs. From innovation to investment, skills to sectors, this event will be a moment to catalyze collective action for a future where every young person has a pathway to decent work.

The event will take place on April 22 at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C. and will be broadcast on World Bank Live with interpretation in ArabicFrench and Spanish.

Spring Meetings | World Bank Group

Spring Meetings 2015

With 1.2 billion young people in emerging economies reaching working age over the next decade—and only about 420 million jobs expected to be generated—the urgency of finding scalable and sustainable solutions has never been greater.

SPRING MEETINGS 2025

Jobs – The Path to Prosperity

Tuesday, April 22, 2025
2:00-3:30 PM EDT/GMT-4 (local time)

Event | Spring Meetings 2025: Jobs – The Path to Prosperity | World Bank Live

This event tackles one of the defining and complex challenges of our time: how to meet the stable employment aspirations of the developing world’s fast-growing youth population.

Through powerful stories of young entrepreneurs, dialogue with private sector executives, and insights from World Bank Group leadership, the session will explore how to energize the creation of more and better jobs. From innovation to investment, skills to sectors, this event will be a moment to catalyze collective action for a future where every young person has a pathway to decent work.

The event will take place on April 22 at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C. and will be broadcast on World Bank Live with interpretation in ArabicFrench and Spanish.

Spring Meetings | World Bank Group

Secure Property Rights in the Western Balkans Help Grow Businesses and Create Jobs

Story Highlights

Easier Access to Property Rights - Bosnia and Herzegovina
Entrepreneurs like Dženana are benefiting from easier property registration in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Streamlining access to property ownership supports entrepreneurs in the Western Balkans, allowing them to focus on innovation and expansion.
  • With World Bank assistance, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia have digitized land registration processes facilitating new business ventures.
  • Empowering small and medium-sized businesses is crucial for creating jobs, strengthening supply chains, and boosting economic growth.
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MENA is open to work: Tackling the jobs deficit

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has a large reservoir of untapped human resources, with the world’s highest unemployment rate among youth and the lowest participation of females in the labor force. Desirable jobs, defined as high-paying or formal jobs, are few, and private employment is overwhelmingly of low added value.

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Lighting Up Eastern Africa: How Greater Access to Energy is Creating Jobs and Improving Public Services in Rural Ethiopia

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Ethiopia has made significant progress in energy access in recent years; however, despite a 94% electrification rate in urban areas, around 60 million Ethiopians remain without electricity access.
  • The World Bank-supported Ethiopia Electrification Program (ELEAP), has facilitated nearly 1.3 million on-grid connections, providing electricity to about 6.3 million people, and more than 19,000 public facilities such as schools, healthcare centers, and administrative government buildings, across Ethiopia.
  • ELEAP has supported the installation of 11 mini-grids, bringing electricity to nearly 20,000 people in isolated communities, promoting social and economic growth, and particularly benefiting rural women.
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