DEVELOPING COUNTRY

A developing country, also called a less developed country or underdeveloped country, is a

nation with a less developed industrial base, and a low Human Development Index (HDI)
relative to other countries. HDI: The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite
statistic of life expectancy, education, and income per capita indicators.
In developing countries, labour markets play a central role in determining economic and
social progress since employment status is one of the key determinants of exiting poverty and
promoting inclusion. Yet the reality in most developing countries is that the labour market
fails to create the jobs in the formal economy that would help individuals and their families
prosper. In recognition of these challenges, governments and other stakeholders in developing
countries have increasingly prioritized policies and programmes to promote decent work.
Salient features about labor markets in developing countries.
1. The unemployment rate in developing countries is lower than it is in developed
countries. (The fact that unemployment rates are lower in the developing countries is
taken by many as a sign that the unemployment rate is a poor measure of labor market
distress.)
2. Earnings levels are very low despite long work hours. Not only are incomes low but
they are also uncertain.
3. Women are disadvantaged in developing country labor markets. (lower wage)
4. The composition of employment is very different in developing countries from what it
is in developed countries.
5. The great majority of those working in developing countries work in the private sector,
not the public sector. A large majority of those who work in the private sector are not
registered with the government and therefore do not receive job-related social
protections.
6. Typically, the better jobs are in wage employment, not self-employment. But within
wage employment, the regular wage jobs are better than casual wage jobs. For these
reasons, everybody in developing countries wants a regular wage job.
The problem the poor face is that not enough regular wage employment is available
for all who would like wage jobs and are capable of performing them.
7. Apart from low earnings levels and lack of social protections, a large number of jobs
are downright miserable. What the developing countries have is an employment
problem that is, poverty among those who work rather than an unemployment
problem.
Child Labour
and the other problem
Child labor is a problem worldwide, but it particularly affects children in developing
countries. Child labor is characterized by full-time work at too early of an age, and too many
hours spent working. The work often exerts undue physical, social, or psychological stress,
hampers access to education, and may be detrimental to social and psychological
development. The ILOs Statistical Information and Monitoring Program on Child Labor
recently estimated that 211 million children, or 18 % of children aged 5-14, are economically

active worldwide. 60% of these working children live in Asia, and 23% live in sub-Saharan
Africa. Most economically active children are employed in agriculture.
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
A developed country, industrialized country, or "more economically developed country"
(MEDC), is a sovereign state that has a highly developed economy and advanced
technological infrastructure relative to other less industrialized nations.
Ageing population
The population of developed countries is ageing fast,. Japan has the oldest population, with
more than 22 per cent of its population aged 65 and over. Ageing has a direct impact on the
labour market, since improvements in life expectancy affect individual behaviour in deciding
to remain in work longer. Ageing will affect pension schemes: beneficiaries will be more
numerous and they will claim benefits over a much longer period than at present. In many
countries the statutory age of retirement has remained the same in spite of the demographic
changes. Furthermore, many people retire before reaching the official age of retirement to
take advantage of early retirement incentives, which makes the situation even worse. So
population ageing is an issue which is currently causing increasing concern to social security
schemes.
Immigration
People emigrate from one country to another for a variety of complex reasons. Some are
forced to move, due to conflict or to escape persecution and prejudices, while others may
voluntarily emigrate. Although such a move may be necessary. An economic migrant is a
person, who is searching for work, or better opportunities. The recipient country is usually an
industrialized country in Western Europe, or the United States.
For these countries, immigrants offer various benefits such as the following:

Immigrants will often do jobs that people in the host country will not, or cannot do;
Migrant workers often work longer hours and for lower salaries
For the host countrys economy, immigrants offer an increased talent pool, if they have
been well educated in their original country.

But there are also numerous drawbacks:

Immigrants can be exploited for their cheap labor;

Developing countries may suffer brain drain as the limited resources they spend in
educating their students amount to very little if that talent is enticed to another country.
Immigration can also attract criminal elements, from trafficking in drugs and people to
other forms of crime and corruption;
Immigration can become a social/political issue, where racism can be used to exploit
feelings
they get more benefits than local poor people, tensions and hostilities can also rise;
immigration can be largely illegal and out of control.