RESEARCH PROPOSAL

To:

Professor UMAR Siraj Abu Rizaiza

From: JOLAOSO Lateef Akorede, MOHAMMED Ahmed Hanash, FAISAL Absulrahman

Aljehani and GAAFAR Ahmed Al Aidaros
Date: 29 November, 2015
Subject: Research proposal

Proposed Research Topic: SOCIAL IMPACT OF UNEMPLOYMENT ON FEMALES

INTRODUCTION
Being young involves preparing for the future, for adult life. Finishing an education, finding a
job, leaving the parental home, starting a relationship, an independent household and family life
are the main steps to reach the status of adulthood, to gain social and economic independence [1]
Unemployment refers to the condition and extent of joblessness within an economy, and is
measured in terms of the unemployment rate, which is the number of unemployed workers
divided by the total civilian labor force. To be unemployed means to be out of work, not having
anything to do which can serve has means of sustenance both for personal and family needs. It is
measured in terms of unemployment rate which is the number of unemployed workers divided
by the total civilian labour force. [2] It has a lot of economical, social and mental effects on an
individual and the society at large.

According to the OECD Economic Outlook (No 84,November 2008), unemployment rate in
OECD countries, estimated at 6.3% in 2008, is expected to reach 7.3% in the second quarter of
this year(2010).This suggests an increase in the number of unemployed persons from 34 million
in 2008 to more than 42 million in 2010. This is said to represent 'the most rapid rise in OECD
unemployment since the early 1990s.' Those who are most affected by this rising unemployment
rate are youths, low- skilled, elderly and immigrant workers, with casual workers being the most
vulnerable. The rise in unemployment is, however, not evenly distributed across the OECD
countries. The U.S. which was about the first to experience the economic down-turn had an
unemployment rate of 6.5% in October 2008; within 12 months the number of unemployed
increased to 2.8million.
The European Union (EU) experienced a slower rise in unemployment (with the exception of
Spain and Ireland, whose rise was made significant due to a decline in the construction sector.
Countries like France and Germany were yet to record any significant increases in their
unemployment rate. Despite this, by the end of 2008, unemployment rate was expected to rise by
at least 2% more than the 2007 rate in at least six OECD countries, and by 1-2% in nine others
including France.
In March 2009, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) warned that the crisis could
generate up to 22million more unemployed women in 2009. The Global Employment Trend
reports that of the 3 billion people employed worldwide in 2008, 1.2 billion were women. It is
said that in 2009, the global unemployment rate for women could reach 7.4% compared to 7.0%
for men. ILO projected that this would result in an increase of between 24 and 52 million people
unemployed worldwide. The global vulnerable employment rate would range from 50.5 to
54.7% for women in 2009, compared to 47.2 and 51.8% for men. [3]

The global unemployment rate was 7.5% (2012 est.) which increases in the following year to
8.4% (2013) [4]. From the Guardian UK this was reported 'The global jobs market will continue
to deteriorate in the coming years,, while rising income inequality and high youth unemployment
will stoke more social unrest, a new report warns today.

The ILO says a slowdown in economic growth means more jobs will be lost this year with
young people again bearing the brunt of the financial crisis and its aftermath.Releasing its latest
forecasts, the ILO said the challenge of bringing unemployment back to pre-crisis levels now
appears as daunting a task as ever.

ILO director general Guy Ryder said: More than 61 million jobs have been lost since the start of
the global crisis in 2008 and our projections show that unemployment will continue to rise until
the end of the decade. This means the jobs crisis is far from over so there is no place for
complacency.

By 2019, more than 212 million people will be out of work, up from 201 million now, according
to the ILOs report, World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2015.' [5]

A community with high unemployment rate suffers a lot of instability which severe financial
hardship and poverty, debt, homelessness and housing stress, family tensions and breakdown,
boredom, alienation, shame and stigma, increased social isolation, crime, erosion of confidence
and self-esteem, the atrophying of work skills and ill-health. It was said that You dont live
when you are unemployedyou exist (Jackson & Crooks 1993).
One of the devastating impacts of this cankerworm that has eaten deeply into the flesh of the
whole world at large is its chain effects. For example when an individual is unemployed, he does

not suffer it alone, children, wife, parents and the whole members of the family are affected even
including friends.
As for who is more affected with this problem between the men and the women. research and
findings show the men are more affected than the women due to bulk of responsibilities they are
to champion in the house and the larger society. in Saudi Arabia, a standout amongst the most
genuine effects of unemployment is its impact on the physiological state of the unemployed.
Low self-regard, misery, which prompts powerless family ties and detachment from the group.
Remembering that 89% of the unemployed are underneath the age of 29, helplessness to mental
entanglement is more stupendous at this junior age (Munajjed and Sabbagh, 2011).

This study wants to focus mainly on the social impacts this ugly status of unemployment has of
the female folk in the society. There are three countries of interest in which the study would be
done namely; Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Within the last decade, more women have entered the work force. As their numbers surge, their
vulnerability to harassment has also increased. In AWAREs survey, 79% of the respondents
who reported having experienced workplace sexual harassment were female; 21% were male .[6]

LITERATURE REVIEW
Studies have found that unemployment, if prolonged, may have negative consequences for a
persons working life in terms of lower wages and/or longer spells of unemployment (Fares &
Tiongson, 20078; Arulampalam, Gregg & Gregory, 2001; Elwood, 1982; OHiggins, 20019). The
authors used the term scarring to explain this phenomenon. Authors showed that for youth in

Bosnia, for example, jobless spells take a higher toll on youth with more education (Fares &
Tiongson, 2007). Arulampalam et al. (2001) have illustrated empirically that a significant
dimension of scarring is depreciation of skills during the periods of unemployment
(Arulampalam et al., 2001). The phenomenon of scarring signifies that unemployment is much
more costly for the individual and the society than the initial loss of earnings (Arulampalam, et
al., 2001). Only 5.1 per cent of Saudi women of working age participate in the labour force ( The
Fourth Development Plan: 89).
Woman's work has already been the focus of research by some scholars In Saudi Arabia. Some
of these studies,such as Al Gadi (1975), AlManaa (1982)10. Assad (1983)11a, Al Saad (1982)12.
Al Baker (1983)[13], and Halawani (1982)[14], have been directed at the study of working
women in the labour force and the different factors that hinder them from fulfilling their work
demands. On the other hand, other studies such as Assad (1977) 11b, Al Khateeb (1981)[15].
Nasser and Yaghmour (1983) [16] have directed their attention at the study of the effects of
woman's work on her family life and her power in famil y decision-making.
In a previous study, Saudi Arabia has indicated its propositions to embrace a more empowered
project to guarantee that more nationals enter the work market (Lutz et al., 2004)

METHODOLOGY
The approach we will use in getting our data might be similar to those of past studies with a
slight variation. We will be considering three different countries (Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and
Yemen) for our study, two from middle east and one from Africa different from what we have in
the previous studies on the subject matter. We will source data from the internet and compare

the information for different bodies and organizations for validity. We also visit the central
department of statistics and information for Saudi Arabia, and Nigerian Bureau of statistics
(NBS) in Nigeria and Econonomic and Social Development Research Center (SRDC) and
Central Statistical Organization (CSO) in Yemen. We will examine the subject from two
perspectives, from the western point of view and the Islamic religion understanding. And we will
suggest possible solutions that will bring about a balance and sane society.

TIME TABLE

REFERENCES
1.http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/20534/careers_and_job_hunting/what_is_unempl
oyment.html
2. Alison McClelland and Fiona Macdonald ' The social consequences of unemployment '
Business Council of Australia
3. http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/18730/1/social-implications-of-unemployment.html
4. CIA World Factbook
5."Global unemployment forecast to hit 212m country by country breakdown" The Guardian
UK, World news Datablog, Monday 19 January 2015 23.01 GMT

6. 'Workplace Sexual Harassment' http://www.aware.org.sg/training/wsh-site/14-statistics/

7. Mahmoud K. Abouraia " Saudization Framework and Unemployment in Saudi Arabia:
Antecedents and Consequences "
8. Fares, J., & Tiongson, E. R., (2007).Youth unemployment, labor market transition, and
scarring: Evidence from Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2001 04. Policy Research Working Paper
Series 4183, The World Bank.

9. Arulampalam, W., Gregg, P., Gregory, M. (2001). Unemployment scarring. Economic

Journal. 111(475), pp. 57784.
10. Al Manaa, A. 1981 Economic Development and its Impact on the Status of Women in Saudi
Arabia. Ph.D thesis, University of Colorado.

11a. Assad, S. 1983. Women and Work in Saudi Arabia: A Study of Job Satisfaction in Higher
Education. Ph.D.thesis,Colorado State University.

11b. Assad, S. 1977. Role Demands of Professional Women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. M.A
thesis,Portland State University.
12. Al Saad,N. 1982 The Role of Women in General Development Planning in Saudi Arabia
1975-80. I1.A Thesis,Faculty of the Graduate School,University of Minnesota.
13. Al Baker, F. 1983 Analysis to Some of the Problems of Primary School Teachers in Riyadh
and its Impact on Teachers Attitudes towards their Careers. M.A.thesis, Faculty of Education.
King Saud University. (Arabic)
14. Halawani, E. 1982 Working Women in Saudi Arabia: Problems and Solutions. Ph.D thesis.
Claremont Graduate School.
15. Al Khateeb, F. 1981 A Change in Woman s Position and its Effects on her Role as a Wife in
Saudi Arabia. t1.A. thesis. Sociology Dept. Cairo University (Arabic)
16. Abu Naser,J. and Khoury, A. 1985 Women, Employment and Development in the Arab
World. Berlin: Mouton Publishers.