Y-NEET in Libya

Country Overview

Libya’s labour market continues to reflect the long shadow of political instability, fragmented institutions, and limited economic diversification. The economy remains heavily dependent on oil, a capital-intensive sector generating few jobs for youth. Private-sector development is constrained by uncertainty, weak regulatory frameworks, and limited access to finance. Public employment, traditionally a source of stability, cannot absorb the rapidly growing youth population. Youth unemployment remains among the highest globally, reaching 51.4% according to UNICEF’s Youth Employability Skills Study.(unicef.org)

Against this backdrop, many young people disengage from job search, training, or education. Public employment services remain weak, with inconsistent coverage, outdated information systems, and limited outreach beyond major cities. Prolonged school interruptions have eroded learning outcomes and weakened transitions from education to work. Despite these constraints, Libya retains significant potential: a young demographic profile, emerging digital skills ecosystems, and increasing international engagement through initiatives such as EU4SKILLS, which aims to strengthen TVET governance and employability pathways.(e-nable.ly)

Profile and Trends of NEETs

National NEET statistics are not systematically collected, but converging evidence indicates an exceptionally large NEET population. UNICEF data highlight that 72.5% of surveyed youth aged 15–24 reported being out of work, with only one quarter engaged in any form of employment, including informal or part-time jobs.(unicef.org) Youth unemployment among 15–24-year-olds is estimated at around 50–52%, well above regional averages.(macrotrends.net)
Gender disparities are acute. Young women experience extremely high inactivity due to mobility restrictions, safety concerns, and household expectations. Rural youth, displaced populations, and ethnic minorities also face heightened exclusion from training and employment. Skills mismatch remains a core challenge: despite relatively high formal education attainment, many youth lack the practical, vocational, and digital competencies required by employers.(unicef.org)

Main Levers and Barriers

Levers: Demographic potential: Libya’s young population remains an asset for long-term recovery and economic diversification.(libya.unfpa.org). EU4SKILLS and donor engagement: current investments in TVET reform, digital skills training, and employability pathways can help bridge gaps between education and labour-market needs.(e-nable.ly). Civil society strength: youth-led organizations increasingly provide training, mentoring, and digital upskilling, filling critical service gaps.

Barriers: Undiversified economy: oil dependency limits labour-intensive job creation and leaves youth with few stable employment paths. Informality: most young people work informally, lacking career progression, income stability, and social protection. Weak institutional capacity: public employment services lack tools for profiling, outreach, and job matching. Gender and social norms: young women face mobility restrictions, safety issues, and limited access to training facilities. Data scarcity: absence of NEET measurement frameworks prevents evidence-based planning.

Employment Policy and Ongoing Reforms

Libya lacks a unified national employment strategy, but several ongoing reforms and donor-supported initiatives aim to strengthen youth skills, employability, and labour-market information. EU4SKILLS focuses on modernizing TVET governance, updating curricula, developing digital and green-economy competencies, and expanding pathways for school-to-work transitions.(e-nable.ly)
ILO’s Youth NEET programme supports Libya through regional peer-learning, and is exploring country NEET profiling study and capacity-building of Ministry of Labour for future profiling and activation systems. As institutions stabilize, Libya is expected to adopt more structured youth employment frameworks, integrating segmentation, targeted training, and coordinated activation services.

Implications & Strategic Entry Points

Structural challenges will continue to constrain youth employment, but Libya has identifiable entry points for progress: adopting a NEET measurement methodology aligned with regional standards; strengthening TVET responsiveness to labour-market needs, especially digital, entrepreneurial and green skills; gradually building PES capacity for profiling, referral and job matching; incentivizing private-sector hiring through SME support and business-environment reforms; addressing gender-specific barriers to inclusion; leveraging EU4SKILLS and Youth NEET to modernize institutional systems.
Libya’s youth employment challenge is profound, but investments in skills, institutional capacity and labour-market diversification offer the foundations for a gradual, structured response.