# **1 Introduction and Motivation**

“ _Se já é difícil, imagina para mim.._ ." (“If it is already tough, imagine for me”). The title of this paper is based on a quotation from a young woman who does not study or work and lives in a poor urban community in Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil.

**In Brazil, 23.5 percent of the cohort of young people (15-29 years) is neither in school nor at work** (PNAD 2015). In the Latin America region, the “ _nem nem”_<sup>2</sup> phenomenon has proven to be very persistent.<sup>3</sup> There is increasing awareness among policy makers of the need to tackle the issue and a body of literature around the topic has been forming in recent years. Existing debates can be organized along three major themes: the individual and systemic factors associated to the individuals’ _“nem-nem”_ status; the direct and indirect consequences for individuals and society; and propositions of policy options to tackle the issue.

**The literature points to three major categories of factors that increase the likelihood of becoming a “** **_nem-nem_ ” for youth: socioeconomic; educational systemrelated; and labor market-related** . Women are the majority of _“nem-nems”_ in Brazil – both in relative and absolute terms<sup>4</sup> (Costa and Ulyssea 2014; Camarano et al 2006, Simões et al 2013, Tilmann and Comim 2014). At the same time, the overall number of males increased from 1.5 million in 1992 to 2.4 million in 2013 (PNAD 2013). Young Brazilian women who have a baby and are poor are more likely to not be working or studying compared to those who have a baby but are not poor (Monteiro 2013; Simões et al 2013). At the same time, young men who are married or have children are more likely to be working (Camarano et al 2006). Teenage marriage is also closely linked to the abandonment of studies and non-participation in the labor market (for Latin America: De Hoyos et al, 2016; for Brazil: Camarano et al 2006; Tillmann and Comim 2014). Other factors that seem to increase the likelihood of an individual becoming a _“nem-nem_ ” are: being afro-descendant<sup>5</sup> (Simões et al, 2013); having some form of physical disability (for Brazil: Camarano et Al, 2006; and for LAC: ECLAC, 2014; Trucco

> 2 The term refers to the expression “ _nem estudam, nem trabalham_ ” and is analogous to “nini” and “NEET” used in Latin America and English-speaking countries, respectively. Upon revising the literature about “ _ninis”_ in Brazil and Latin America, the lack of a consensus regarding the definition of the terms is clear. Among the studies analyzed, that there is no standard in the definition of nem-nem, with significant differences between them. The main differences are related to the consideration of the unemployed (i.e., job seekers) or PEA - Economically Active Population, versus only the inactive unemployed (who do not look for work), as well as the adoption of different age groups, ranging from 15-29 years. In addition, some studies incorporate unpaid household occupations such as childcare, family and housework, and others do not.

3 Despite economic growth and reductions in poverty and inequality in the region during the 2000s, the proportion of “ _nem-nems_ ” fell only marginally (De Hoyos et al 2016).

> 4 Neither studying nor looking for work, nor doing household chores, nor having physical disabilities or special needs. However, only 10 percent of the women in the region are completely inactive, while among men this share is 30 percent (ECLAC 2014).

> 5 <mark>According to Simões et al (2013), controlling for household income, Brazilian young female afrodescendants are more likely to be out of work and out of school in comparison to other ethnic groups and in comparison to afro-descendant men.</mark>

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