MERCADO DE TRABALHO EM CONTEXTO DE POBREZA URBANA E COVID-19: o caso da cidade de Lichinga

Abstract

We aim to analyse the employment and labour market in the City of Lichinga, in a context where the latest poverty assessments show that Niassa province has experienced an increase in poverty in recent years, from 31.9% in 2008/09 to 65.3% in 2014/15, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further degraded the living conditions of the population between 2019/2020. By using bibliographic research, interviews, surveys and official statistics, it was possible to achieve valid results. The sensitivities of the interviewed job seekers show that admission to the labour market has not been based on meritorious criteria, but rather on patronage and corrupt practices associated with the purchase of vacancies, especially in public organizations, thus weakening the labour market, discrediting institutions and creating unfair competition. The study concludes that a weak absorption of cadres trained by the local labour market promotes a flight of human capital to other urban centres, but also a marginalization of cadres who remain in the city performing functions outside their area of specialization and with poor working conditions. It is also concluded that the bad business environment holds back self-employment. These associated factors perpetuate the cycle of urban poverty of the families who saw education as a lifesaving tool to achieve well-being and social mobility in Lichinga.