<mark>supportive partners or family members were more burdened because they lacked financial resources to cover schooling and care expenses and they did not have anyone to accompany them to school in the evening.</mark>

**<mark>In terms of barriers to access labor markets, the economic crisis and a constrained demand for jobs was the key issue mentioned.</mark>**<sup>**29**</sup> <mark>The combination of financial crisis and the greater pool of individuals with higher levels of qualification or experience applying to the same jobs put them particularly in disadvantage in accessing economic opportunities.</mark>

_Q6_ _<mark>: P: So, right now it is hard for everybody. The last time I went to a job agency it was so packed that when it was time for me to fill my application there were no more papers. And usually I've been handing all over my curriculum and, I did some job selection processes, but unfortunately, I didn’t evolve. But I have not given up yet... I am making more CVs to leave at home to be ready in case an opportunity comes up. But it is very difficult. It is difficult for people with more experience than me, and for me with less experience it is even harder...</mark>_ _<mark>Woman, 25 years, from urban Caranguejo-Tabaiares</mark>_

**<mark>A few interviewees also referred to</mark>** **_<mark>Jovem Aprendiz,</mark>_**<sup>**30**</sup> **<mark>a program designed to facilitate access of inexperienced youth (14-24 years) to labor markets.</mark>** <mark>T</mark> he program aimed to provide youth with specific skills and experience that could help them start their professional careers. Although interviewees saw the program as positive, <mark>they highlighted that coverage was too low, only benefiting a small number of individuals in their communities.</mark><sup>31</sup>

**<mark>Another obstacle for women’s access to jobs was the fact that most available opportunities involved long work hours and included night shifts.</mark>** <mark>The lack of affordable care infrastructure makes it difficult for women to combine their working lives with their care responsibilities. Either women must face a strenuous double burden, or they will have to negotiate the allocation of household tasks at home.</mark><sup>32</sup> <mark>As a result, many partners were unsupportive of their partner’s plans to complete their</mark>

29 After growing around 4 percent between 2003 and 2010, Brazil’s economy gradually lost steam in 2012—13, was stagnant in 2014 and went into recession in 2015. The economic slump took a toll on the labor market, as the unemployment rate gradually rose and payroll indicators pointed to job destruction (World Bank 2016).

30 The Apprentice Law (2000) to facilitate development of programs for the inclusion of youth in the labor market. It requires all medium-size and large companies to hire youth between the ages 14 and 24 years while they undergo technical and professional training in a special employment contract of up to two years.

31 This perception is in line with the analysis put forward by Marra et al (2015), indicating firm compliance to be overwhelmingly low. For example, in 2013, only 23 percent of potential apprentice slots were filled.

32 Studies from Latin America and the OECD countries show that public provision of childcare results in high take-up, but not necessarily in higher maternal labor force participation rates. Rather, it leads to a substitution of existing arrangements (switching from informal to formal care) and improved quality of labor force participation (Chioda et al 2016). The report shows that demand for formal childcare appears to come from women who have already made the decision to participate in the labor market and who just readjust their existing childcare arrangements in favor of formal care.

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