Goal 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth

The Problem

According to the International Labor Organization, decent work is defined as productive work for women and men in conditions of freedom, equity, security, and human dignity. Slavery used to be the only form of work to be considered indecent, but as human right became more widely accepted and respected, the terms attached to every kind of work has come under scrutiny. As much as the world is battling unemployment, underemployment is a problem that persists in lots of developing countries. In Nigeria for instance, while it is estimated that 32.5 percent of the population is unemployed, more than 50% of those employed are reported to be underemployed.  For a country with over 200 million people, that is a major hindrance to Economic growth. 

If those who have spent four years getting a tertiary education, and another one year on compulsory national service can’t utilize what they have learned to earn a living, unproductivity in whatever they are currently engaged is likely to be high. Empowering people with tech skills is a guaranteed way of fast-tracking them out of poverty and giving them a chance to operate at the maximum of their ability. A major upside to a career in tech is that it is open to all, irrespective of gender, religion, race, economic background, or disability. With a computer and internet connection, everyone with the skill is on equal footing and stands a chance to get a job, to create something new, and to solve local or global problems.