Unemployment Grows in Colombia

A worker cuts flowers at Ayura farm, Tocancipa, Colombia, Feb. 11, 2021. | Photo: EFE

 1 March 2021

The unemployed population climbed to 4.1 million people, with women being the most affected. 

Colombia's National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) informed that the unemployment rate stood at 17.3 percent in January, representing an increase of 4.3 percentage points compared to the same month last year. 

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Between January 2020 and January 2021, the employed population dropped from 21.5 million to 19.9 million, which represented a reduction of -7.3 percent. 

The active population grew by 1.5 million to 15.9 million while the unemployed population went from 3.2 million to 4.1 million.

Manufacturing, accommodation, food service activities, arts, and entertainment were the hardest hit sectors by job loss.

The gender labor gap deepened, particularly in the 25-54 age range. The unemployment rate for men stood at 13.4 percent and 22.7 percent in the case of women.

The country's 13 major cities concentrated 80 percent of the employment contraction. Bogota experienced a 55.8 percent of job decline with almost one million unemployed people. 

DANE director Juan Oviedo explained that labor force reduction in the period was almost entirely due to company closures and the measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.