Variation in the distribution of the labor force according to the economic activity of the Libyan population for the period 2012-2022

Abstract

The study is concerned with the spatial and temporal variation in the distribution of the labor force according to the economic activities of the Libyan population at the regional level, according to the data of the Statistics and Census Authority, and the results of the labor force survey (for employment and unemployment), for the years 2012-2022. The study adopted the detailed classification according to the various economic activity sectors of seventeen activities, in addition to the tripartite classification of economic activities. The study confirmed that there is a temporal and spatial variation at the level of the study area, and there were several factors behind this variation, the most important of which was the poor distribution of development and economic projects and their cessation during that period due to the country entering a new phase, in addition to the poor security conditions. The study showed that there is a difference in the percentage of the workforce according to economic activities, and it was found that the highest percentage in 2012 was in the activity of public administration, defense and social security at a rate of (34.56%), and the highest percentage of male participation was (43.54%), and the percentage of females in this activity decreased to (15.32%), then this percentage increased in 2022 for the activity of public administration, defense and mandatory social security for this activity and took the highest participation percentage to reach (44.1%), the highest participation percentage for males was obtained by the activity of public administration, defense and mandatory social security at a rate of (53.7%), while the percentage of female participation reached (29.4%), and perhaps this is due to the limited employment sector during this period and the state's entry into a political conflict and the enrollment of most young people in military units, especially during the outbreak of the Tripoli war, and the local conflicts and disputes that followed, which indicates a continuous decrease in the percentage of the agricultural sector in the face of population growth, and there is a disruption in the work of industrial facilities, between their work and their stopping from time to time due to security conditions, followed by the education sector at a rate of (32.1%), for the year 2012, where female participation in this sector was high (65.31%), while male participation was (16.48%), the participation of this sector decreased in 2022 by (26.8%), so the relative distribution of males was (12.6%) while females were (48.8%). While the highest percentage for the year 2022 was in the public administration, defense and social security sector, for males by (53.7%), the highest percentage for females was represented by the education sector by (65.31%) for the year 2012, and the reason for its increase is due to the shift of workers from the agriculture and industry sector to services after the deterioration of agriculture and the cessation of most government factories from work, and that the majority of workers in urban areas in the region work within the service activity, as well as the orientation of most workers from rural residents in Libya to the service activity.