"THE CURRENT UNEMPLOYMENT IN COLOMBIA:

A structural problem "

Juan Camilo Restrepo Tamayo
Unemployment is one of the main problems that the
Colombian society is facing. Current unemployment in Colombia
has to be tackled from two important perspectives: The factors
that have been producing it and the effects it produces. This is part
of a structural problem.
A. The causes of current unemployment in Colombia.
Unemployment in Colombia has been compounded by the
global economical crisis. With the onset of the crisis in September
2008, global unemployment has increased;, in Colombia,
particularly the index has soared by at least 2.5%.
The labor force exceeds the capacity to generate
employment. Lots of young people are able to work, but job offers
are not enough, which means there is a structural imbalance that
can not balance supply and demand.
A better training might

increase the leverl of education. Many

people may enter the working world, but its low training leaves
them unemployed, increasing the unemployment rate due to of low
levels of education.
The failure of the government's economy policies is another
cause of current unemployment in Colombia. This economical
policies have not been adjusted to the fiscal control in order to stop
the unemployment growing, the increase in taxes has kept them
creating new jobs.
Finally, another cause of unemployment in this from South
American country is that the labor reform does not fit the country's
economical structure. In the early 90's the economical market and
neoliberalism changed the country's economy path in the context
of globalization and did not succeed in its economy policies that
were meant to provide real solutions.

B. The effects of unemployment in Colombia.

The most obvious effect of unemployment, in short term, is
the irregular growing between rich and poor people. This is
irregular growing between the upper and lower classes, has
produced a gap that creates serious social consequences, specially
related with injustice, oppression and other difficulties that break
the peaceful coexistence in society.
Another effect is the deterioration of the material welfare of
the population. Without access to employment, large segments of
the population are condemned to poverty, the lack of basic goods
for a better quality of life and therefore to increased poverty.
This results in the increase of poverty is present in the lower
social strata. This segment of the society is the most affected by
unemployment; due to the employment it is only source of their
income and their survival.
In particular the increase in crime and violence rate are a
direct effect of unemployment, since poverty breeds social disorder
and breakdown of families, bringing the social environment into
chaos, making it impossible for official controls.
Finally, the general effect of unemployment brings a pause in
economical growth. By not creating jobs, the country suffers a
break in the economy and although its growth between 2002 and
2008 was 7.5%, unemployment fell from 10%, so this comes as a
structural problem that stops the economical growth.
In conclusion, we can say that unemployment in Colombia
has been a structural problem, as their causes and their effects
have been maintained over two decades and have not been found
effective solutions to change the course of this situation.