About

The IZA – Institute of Labor Economics and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) jointly run the IZA/FCDO Gender, Growth and Labour Markets in Low Income Countries Programme (G²LM|LIC programme). It marks the extension of the successful IZA/DFID cooperation, that started as the Growth and Labour Markets in Low-Income Countries (GLM|LIC) programme in 2011. The programme aims to improve worldwide knowledge on labour market issues in low-income countries (LICs) and provide a solid basis for capacity building and development of future labour market policies. Since mid-2019 the main focus is on gender issues with the goal to foster research that guides future gender and labour market policies. Until 2020 the programme was administrated by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

More than 550 research proposals had been received across six call phases and evaluated by external experts, 74 projects have been awarded grants, with a substantial proportion of funds routed to research activities in institutions in LICs. In early 2020, responding to the pandemic, G²LM|LIC launched an additional special call of interest for research on COVID-19 and its implications for the labour market and inequalities in LICs. From over 700 research proposals submitted, 14 have been awarded grants.

The G²LM|LIC programme has already taken significant steps to close an important research gap on labour markets and growth in LICs. The programme has contributed to the growing interest in understanding labour markets in the poorest countries by producing high-quality research outputs and policy documents, as well as through interactions with various stakeholders and impacts on programs and policies.

G²LM|LIC will continue to fund high-quality research in the areas of gender, labour markets and economic growth. Moreover, the programme will play an active role in capacity development and fostering research activities through consistently holding short courses for participants from LICs, conferences and workshops to encourage collaborations between researchers and various stakeholders. G²LM|LIC also benefits significantly from the close relationships with numerous partners from governments, foundations, academic institutions, and NGOs to private organizations.