Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Mariana Viollaz

Author

Mariana Viollaz
Senior Researcher at the Center for Distributive, Labor and Social Studies (CEDLAS) at UNLP

Mariana Viollaz completed her Ph.D. in Economics from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Argentina. She is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Distributive, Labor and Social Studies (CEDLAS) at UNLP which specializes in the development of empirical evidence based on micro-data from household surveys of Latin American countries. Viollaz has been a teaching assistant at the graduate and undergraduate level for Labor Economics, Advanced Econometrics and Econometrics at UNLP. Her research is focused on labor and development economics in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a special emphasis on informality in the labor market. She has participated in several institutional reports and her research has been published in the Journal of Economic Inequality, CEPAL Review and in the CEDLAS and the World Bank’s Working Papers series.

Content by this Author

Who can work from home in MENA?

Which jobs can be done from home, who does them and how prevalent are they in different countries? This column reports evidence on working from home in over 50 countries, including Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia.

Most read

Untapped talent, unrealised growth: jobs and women in the MENAAP region

Only around one in five women of working age participate in the labour markets of the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan. As this column explains, the region can no longer afford to leave half its human capital underused. Expanding women’s labour force participation is central to growth and resilience in the face of looming demographic change.

Closing the gender gap in political participation in MENA

Women across the Middle East and North Africa participate less than men in politics – not only in political parties and elections, but also in petitions, boycotts, protests and strikes. This column reports evidence from ten countries showing that differences in education, employment and political attitudes explain part of this disparity, yet a significant gender gap remains.

Labour demand and informal employment in Egypt’s manufacturing sector

Egypt’s manufacturing sector faces a dual challenge of weak job creation and persistent informality. Drawing on survey evidence on business behaviour and labour market dynamics, this column explains why job creation is limited and informal work remains such an integral part of how firms organise production. The generation of more formal jobs requires a comprehensive policy approach, one that goes beyond enforcement of labour regulations to reshape the economic environment in which firms and workers make decisions.

Challenges of conflict and industrial policy for development

How effective is industrial policy as a tool for long-term economic growth and development? Against the backdrop of the conflict currently engulfing the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP), a new report argues that while industrial policies are widely used across the region, they can only address market failures and foster growth when they are aligned with country capabilities, implemented with accountability and backed by capable institutions.




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