Structural barriers to access to youth employment for women and their socio-economic inclusion

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the main structural barriers affecting access to employment among young women aged 18 to 29 and their relationship with socioeconomic inclusion in the canton of Pujilí, Ecuador. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was conducted. The sample consisted of 101 women aged 18 to 29, selected through non-probability convenience sampling; 77 lived in rural areas and 24 in urban areas. Data were collected using a structured 11-item Likert-type questionnaire, validated through expert judgment, and analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and contingency tables. At the time of the survey, 80.2% of the participants were not employed; this proportion was 83.1% among rural residents and 70.8% among urban residents. Furthermore, 73.3% reported that domestic responsibilities limited their employment opportunities at least sometimes, while 80.2% indicated that a lack of financial resources always or almost always restricted their ability to continue their education or training. The findings reveal limited labor market participation among the group studied and the presence of economic, territorial, domestic, and employment-related barriers that may restrict their socioeconomic inclusion. Due to the non-experimental design and non-probability sampling, the results are descriptive, do not establish causality, and cannot be generalized to all young women in the canton.