Youth from 10 countries in Europe and Central Asia joined a regional consultation on the Impact of Covid-19 on jobs and entrepreneurship. COVID-19 restrictions affected many sectors of the economy: transport, tourism, restaurants, agriculture, retail, factories, construction work, arts, music, etc. Many companies needed to reduce their activity or to close their business. Some people – including many young people - lost their jobs. Some could work from home, some got unemployment benefits, others did not. The economic crisis impacted many spheres of society – from digitalization to migration, from globalization to local production, from supply chain issues to cultural diversity, from food safety to environmental concerns. The virtual consultation organised by UNICEF and GEYC explored more in detail these issues.
Starting a business now vs before the COVID19 pandemic
”Nothing will be the same after this crisis”
Key insights from the discussion:
- The participants acknowledged the challenges connected with finding a job in the pandemic context where only some industries are recruiting: medical and social care, sales and deliveries;
- Youth entrepreneurship is seen as an alternative to the lack of jobs. Participants identified some arising business opportunities: online shops, delivery, financial services, etc.;
- The process of creating new jobs and business opportunities has to be sustainable. The participants tackled the importance of sustainable development in the post-Covid19 economic recovery context.
We would like the following participants for their active engagement and great insights:
- Aleksej Leon Gajica from Croatia, UNICEF Junior Ambassador
- Andrijana Mikulovic from Serbia, Opreromas