SIS201- Project Report

Group project – Fall 2020-2021

Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive, and

sustainable economic growth, full and productive
employment, and decent work for all.

Submission date: 25th of OCT 2020.

Group Members:

Alia Alrashdi 1077130.

Safia Mohamed 1077936.

Aysha juma Alkaabi 1077936.

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 Table of Contents

Page content: Page

number:

- Cover. 1

- Contents. 2

- Introduction. 3

- SDG8: Target areas for sustainable development. 3

- Themes addressed by SDG8 6

- Facts and Figures regarding unemployment worldwide percentage. 6

-

- Graph of the annual rate of increase in economic growth. 7

- Informal employment data spread across the developing world. 8

- Persistent gender wage differentials. 9

- Case study: SDG 8 and allowing ladies in agriculture through gender-responsive 10

rural advancement policymaking and budgeting in North Macedonia.
- Outcomes and Lesson learned via case study
11

- Conclusion. 13

Introduction:

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The Sustainable Development Goals are a compilation of seventeen interconnected
goals meant to be a blueprint for achieving a sustainable future for all. Set in 2015,
The SDGs are a component of a UN Resolution, known as the 2030 Agenda. Of
these 17 interconnected goals, the eighth one is about "decent work and economic
growth." SDG 8 focuses on encouraging sustainable and equal economic progress
for all workers, irrespective of their gender, background, or race. It means gaining
greater levels of economic productivity via diversification, technological up-
gradation, and innovation. This goal tries to ensure every country's economic
sector gives its citizens a basic need to have a good life respective of their gender,
background, or race. Sustained and inclusive economic growth is a prerequisite for
sustainable development, which can contribute to improved livelihoods for people
around the world. Economic growth can lead to new and better employment
opportunities and provide greater economic security for all. Moreover, rapid
growth, especially among the least developed and other developing countries, can
help them reduce the wage gap relative to developed countries, thereby
diminishing glaring inequalities between the rich and poor.

SDG 8 Targets:

8.1 Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances,
and in particular at least 7% per annum GDP growth in the least-developed
countries

8.2 Achieve higher levels of productivity of economies through diversification,

technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high value
added and labor-intensive sectors

8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities,

decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage

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formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises including
through access to financial services

8.4 Improve progressively through 2030 global resource efficiency in consumption

and production, and endeavor to decouple economic growth from environmental
degradation in accordance with the 10-year framework of programs on sustainable
consumption and production with developed countries taking the lead

8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all
women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and
equal pay for work of equal value

8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment,

education or training

8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and
elimination of the worst forms of child labor, eradicate forced labor, and by 2025
end child labor in all its forms including recruitment and use of child soldiers

8.8 Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments of all
workers, including migrant workers, particularly women migrants, and those in
precarious employment

8.9  By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism which
creates jobs, promotes local culture and products

8.10 strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and to

expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all

8.a. Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, particularly LDCs,
including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for LDCs

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8.b. By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment
and implement the ILO Global Jobs Pact

SDG 8 offers a framework for countries to implement a mixture of policies

aimed at promoting growth and productivity without harming the
environment and generating decent work that respects core labor rights as an
effective pathway to inclusive growth. Among the target areas covered are:

 Economic policies that pursue higher levels of productivity, including

through a focus on high-value-added and labor-intensive economic sectors.

 Public policies encouraging formalization and growth of micro, small, and

medium enterprises through access to financial services.

 Labor policies that aim to reduce unemployment, especially for young

people, and ensure decent work for all women, men, young people, and
people with disabilities while ensuring equal pay to for work of equal value.

 Ending human trafficking, forced labor, and protecting the labor rights of
migrant workers, women, and those in precarious employment.

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  Decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation and
promoting resource efficiency, by sustainable consumption and production
strategies and approaches.
Themes addressed by SDG 8:

Facts and Figures regarding unemployment worldwide percentage:

Roughly half the world’s population still lives on the equivalent of about US$2 a
day. And in too many places, having a job doesn’t guarantee the ability to escape
from poverty. Substandard working conditions are often related to poverty,
inequality and discrimination. In many contexts, certain groups – such as workers
with disabilities, women workers, youth, and migrants, among others – face
particular obstacles in accessing decent work and may be especially vulnerable to
abuses.

 Employment growth since 2008 has averaged only 0.1% annually, compared
with 0.9% between 2000 and 2007

 Over 60 per cent of all workers lack any kind of employment contract

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  Fewer than 45 per cent of wage and salaried workers are employed on a full-
time, permanent basis, and even that share is declining.

 By 2019, more than 212 million people will be out of work, up from the
current 201 million

 600 million new jobs need to be created by 2030, just to keep pace with the
growth of the working age population

Businesses are engines for job creation and economic growth and foster economic
activity through their value chain. Decent work opportunities are good for business
and society. Companies that uphold labor standards across their own operations
and value chains face lower risk of reputational damage and legal liability.
Instituting non-discriminatory practices and embracing diversity and inclusion will
also lead to greater access to skilled, productive talent.

Increased economic growth is needed to meet the target of 7 percent GDP

growth in the least developed countries.

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In the period 2010-2014, the global average annual growth rate of real GDP per
capita was 1.6 percent, slightly below the rate achieved throughout 2000−2004.

The growth rate of countries in developing regions was more than triple that of
developed regions (4.1 percent versus 1.3 percent, respectively), yet the rates for
both regions were below their historical averages. This suggests that much work
remains to achieve the goal of sustained and inclusive economic growth. The
challenge is particularly steep for the least developed countries, whose per capita
growth accelerated for a time, but has since slowed to only 2.6 percent on average
during 2010-2014, less than half the target rate of at least 7 percent a year.

Informal employment remains a major challenge to the goal of decent work

for all.

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Informal employment remains pervasive throughout the developing world. Based
on the latest available data for 54 developing countries, in three-quarters of
countries, more than half of those with jobs in non-agricultural sectors are
informally employed. In about 70 percent of countries, the share of informal
employment in non-agricultural sectors is higher for women than for men. These
findings warrant urgent attention from policymakers given the adverse impact of
informal employment on earnings, social protection, occupational safety, health,
and working conditions generally. Informal employment is linked to higher
poverty rates and is a major challenge to the goal of decent work for all.
The continuing pay gap between women and men is a glaring reminder of
gender inequality hindering the world to achieve suiatanable development.

Women still earn less than men. An analysis of the latest available data for 62
countries found that men’s median hourly pay is 12 percent higher than that of
women. Furthermore, men had a wage advantage in every major occupational
category in 49 countries with relevant data. The median gender pay gap exceeded
20 percent in managerial and professional occupations, and among craft and
related trade workers and plant machine operators and assemblers. Gender pay
gaps are rooted in rigid social norms and cultural expectations about women’s
roles in society. When combined with differences in employment opportunities and
lower access to social protection, they can result in long-term income gaps and
compromise gender equality now and in the future.
Women are 15 percent more likely to be unemployed than men worldwide, but the
gender gap is far larger in Northern Africa and Western Asia.

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The global unemployment rate stood at 6.1 percent in 2015, down from a peak of
6.6 percent in 2009. Unemployment was lowest in Southern, Eastern, and South-
Eastern Asia, below 5 percent, compared to other regions of the world, where the
average was around 7 percent or higher. Globally, women are more likely to be
unemployed than men. Differences are most striking in Western Asia and Northern

Africa, where the unemployment rate of women is more than twice that of men.

Case Study:
The following case study addresses the SDG 8 that how discrimination against
women hinders the path to achieve SDG 8: Allowing ladies in agriculture through
gender-responsive rural advancement policymaking and budgeting in North
Macedonia.

 Synopsis: The case study will address women's position in North Macedonia
agriculture and demonstrate how evidence-based support ended in the
government's dedication to addressing women's needs in agriculture to enhance
women's employment, secure decent work in the area. The plan "Women
Empowerment in Agriculture with survey-based and empirical economics
methods" has the central goal of contributing to rural women's empowerment and
enhanced participation and influence in the agricultural quarter. The project output
reviews the national policies correlated to agriculture and rural development to
direct gender-based disparities and segregation of women. The project intends to:
1. Present evidence on the status and incorporation of women in the
agricultural sector by examining five agricultural domains.
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 2. Render professional/expert assistance to the policymakers and communities
of farmers on needs-based and gender-responsive policymaking.
3. Outreach and support for women empowerment in the agricultural area.
Gender difference is a significant problem for any society and is primarily
pronounced in the agricultural sector. Generally, agriculture is regarded as a male-
dominated sector, but being the engine of growth and progress, it must provide
greater recognition of women's importance (Alkaire et al. 2013). Women's
participation in the management of agricultural holdings is very low, and the
outlook is not positive, as it dropped from 11% in 2013 to 10% in 2016 (State
Statistical Office of RM 2017, 2014). The low employment and participation of
women in agricultural enterprises' management indicate women's limited
incorporation in the decision-making process. Some possible reasons are the
patriarchal pattern of the Macedonian society, local mores, and cultural and
traditional social patterns that add to rural women's low socio-economic livelihood
(World Bank and FAO, 2014). Fifty Strategy UN Women in North Macedonia
maintained an investigation study for mapping "Women Empowerment in
Agriculture with survey based and empirical economics methods." Faculty of
Agricultural Science and Food carried out that study. Being focused on analyzing
five key domains, it directly impacts women's empowerment: Production -
participation in productive decisions; Resources - possession of assets and
approach to and decisions on credit; Income - authority over the use of revenue;
Leadership - group association and Time allocation; Workload. 
Empowerment in Agriculture with survey-based and empirical economics
methods." Faculty of Agricultural Science and Food carried out that study. Being
focused on analyzing five key domains, it directly impacts women's empowerment:
Production - participation in productive decisions; Resources - possession of assets

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and approach to and decisions on credit; Income - authority over the use of
revenue; Leadership - group association and Time allocation; Workload.

Outcomes and lessons learned via case study:

The study exposed many essential findings on women's empowerment from

which policy recommendations were derived to empower women's leadership in
the agro-based society. There is a robust commitment by the North Macedonian
Government on implementing the policy recommendations from the study within
the plans for agriculture and rural developing strategy. The established Project
Advisory Body (PVB) between Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food,
Ministry of Agriculture, Agency for financial support in agriculture and rural
development, Forestry and Water Economy (MAFWE), Ministry of Labour and
Social policy (MLSP), National Extension Agency, National Farmers Association,
Network of women farmers and Ministry of Finance (MoF), added to flourishing
alignment and coordination among institutions. Furthermore, there is a loud voice
pledged by the MAFWE, and the ministry is actively operating on introductory
actions that directly approach the necessities of rural women. It is anticipated that
is based on the policy recommendations and the Project Advisory Body(PAB)
direction. The National Program for Agriculture and Rural Development( NPARD)
for the session 2019-2022 will be induced, specifically correcting it with a special
measure produced for women in the agricultural economy. As indicated by the
Minister of Agriculture, the plan is, via this measure, to generate support in the
form of non-refundable grants in the amount up to 180,000 dinars per user for
making additional activity within the agricultural holding. With this, women will
be promoted in entrepreneurship by equipping them to start processing or craft
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businesses, using their own production resources. Additional measures are to be
formed to address other disempowerment causes identified with the study. The
study could be replicated in any region of the Region and adjusted to specific
demands and aspects of interest. The Institute of Agricultural Economics (IAE) is
available to finance countries technically to adapt and execute the survey at the
local and national level. The implementation of a comparable study format would
be an extraordinary breakthrough to be analyzed for progress on women's
empowerment in the agriculture field.

Conclusion:

To sum up, the world does not seem to prepare for achieving sustainable
development goals, which have been set to have an all-inclusive and developed
world. Combined with numerous socio-economic and political malpractices
including corruption and inadequate implementation of economic policies,
Informal Employment trends, and gender-based violence in the male-oriented
society are serving the purpose of erecting obstacles in the way of global
development and of achieving SDG 8. It is high time that trends changed so that
real-time development can be witnessed in the world.

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 Work Cited

Sustainable Development Goal. (n.d.). Wikipedia.Org. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_Development_Goals

Sustainable Development Goal 8. (n.d.-b). Wikipedia.Org. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_Development_Goal_8

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020. (n.d.). Undesa.Maps.Arcgis.Com. Retrieved

October 25, 2020, from https://undesa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?

appid=49119ad4fb9845469f7270acc5380a19

Decent work and economic growth. (n.d.). Globalgoals.Org. https://www.globalgoals.org/8-

decent-work-and-economic-growth

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Case Study SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. (n.d.). Https://Www.Engagement-

Global.De/. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from https://skew.engagement-

global.de/publications-en/case-study-sdg-8-decent-work-and-economic-growth-en.html

Sustainable Development Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic

growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. (n.d.).

Https://Use.Metropolis.Org/. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from

https://use.metropolis.org/sdg/8---decent-work-and-economic-growth?page=2&session=

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