The Cape Verdean National Statistics Institute (INE) has revealed that nearly a quarter of the population aged 15 to 35 was unemployed and not engaged in education or training during the second quarter of 2024.
According to an INE report, “The Continuous Multi-Objective Survey for the second quarter of 2024 estimated that 41,852 young people between the ages of 15 and 35 were unemployed and outside the education or training system, representing 24.5% of the total youth in this age group.” The data highlights significant disparities, particularly for women, with the unemployment rate rising to 27.4% among females compared to 21.8% among males. Rural areas were also disproportionately affected, with 29% of young people unemployed and not in education or training, compared to 20.9% in urban areas.
The survey also focused on the younger age group of 15 to 24 years old, an important indicator under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 8, which promotes decent work and economic growth. In this category, 23% of young people—equivalent to 18,928 individuals—were found to be without employment or education, with a higher percentage among women (23.9%) compared to men (22.2%).
The Continuous Multi-Objective Survey (IMC) is a key tool for collecting demographic, social, and economic data on the population and assessing household living conditions. Since 2011, the IMC has been conducted annually in the fourth quarter, typically between November and December. However, 2024 marked a change with data collection taking place in both the second and fourth quarters.
Despite these challenges for young people, the INE also reported a positive development: the overall unemployment rate in Cape Verde fell to 8.8% in the second quarter of 2024.