Technical Report The role of small cities in shaping youth employment outcomes in India and Indonesia February 2019 *Project Title: The role of small cities in shaping youth employment outcomes in India and Indonesia *IDRC Project Number-Component Number (if applicable): 108082-001/108283-001 *By: Mukta Naik, Gregory F Randolph *Report Type and #: Technical Report (Final) *Period covered by the report: March 1 2015– 31 December 2018 *Date: 1 February 2019 *Country/Region: India, Indonesia *Full Name of Research Institution: Centre for Policy Research JustJobs Network *Address of Research Institution: Centre for Policy Research, Dharma Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 1100021 JustJobs Network, 8300 Greensboro Drive, Suite L1-184, McLean, VA, USA 22102 *Name(s) of Researcher/Members of Research Team: Mukta Naik, Eesha Kunduri, Sama Khan, Shamindra Nath Roy, Pranav Kuttaiah, Deepaboli Chatterjee, Rimjhim Saxena, Gregory F Randolph, Sabina Dewan, Prachi Agarwal, Divya Kumar, Zaeem Hossain *Contact Information of Researcher/Research Team members: CPR: [email protected] JJN: [email protected] Table of Contents 1. SYNTHESIS ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 2. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM ............................................................................................................................ 10 2.1. The context: structural transformation and mobility .................................................................................. 10 2.2. Why small cities are important ............................................................................................................................ 11 2.3. Research questions ................................................................................................................................................... 16 3. METHODS ........................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.1. Secondary analysis using national level datasets .......................................................................................... 16 3.2. Case city analysis ....................................................................................................................................................... 17 3.2.1. Selection of case studies ..................................................................................................................................................... 18 3.2.2. Quantitative Survey .............................................................................................................................................................. 24 3.3. Qualitative fieldwork ............................................................................................................................................... 25 3.4. Comparative research: India and Indonesia ................................................................................................... 27 4. RESEARCH FINDINGS ...................................................................................................................................... 29 4.1 Secondary data analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 29 4.1.1. Migration junctions in India and Indonesia ............................................................................................................... 29 4.1.2. Comparing subnational urban and rural geographies on migration, work and urban governance ... 30 4.1.3. Limitations posed by data and the importance of field-based enquiry .......................................................... 33 4.2. Insights from Primary Data ................................................................................................................................... 34 4.2.1. Migration and mobility ....................................................................................................................................................... 34 4.2.2. Labor markets in small city economies ........................................................................................................................ 38 4.2.3. Small city employment landscapes ................................................................................................................................ 42 4.2.4. Getting stuck: Threats to economic mobility ............................................................................................................. 45 4.2.5. The small city as a site of negotiated opportunities for women ........................................................................ 49 4.2.6. Carving out space: women’s relationship with the small city ............................................................................. 55 4.2.7. Planning the small city ........................................................................................................................................................ 56 4.2.8. Envisioning economic futures .......................................................................................................................................... 62 5. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT ............................................................................... 63 5.1. Research tasks ............................................................................................................................................................ 63 5.1.1. Secondary data analysis ..................................................................................................................................................... 63 5.1.2. Primary data collection ....................................................................................................................................................... 63 5.1.3. Ethics protocols ...................................................................................................................................................................... 64 5.1.4. Documentary film: Small City Dreaming ..................................................................................................................... 65 5.2. Advisory committee ................................................................................................................................................. 66 5.3. Team composition and management ................................................................................................................. 66 5.4. Capacity-building among partners and local civil society organizations ............................................. 68 6. PROJECT FINANCIALS ..................................................................................................................................... 70 7. PROJECT OUTPUTS AND DISSEMINATION .............................................................................................. 70 7.1. Journal articles ........................................................................................................................................................... 70 7.2. Policy Reports ............................................................................................................................................................. 71 7.3. Policy Briefs ................................................................................................................................................................. 71 7.4. Opinion pieces and blogs ........................................................................................................................................ 72 7.5. Media .............................................................................................................................................................................. 73 7.6. Website.......................................................................................................................................................................... 73 8. IMPACT ................................................................................................................................................................ 73 8.1. New directions in research and policy .............................................................................................................. 73 8.2. Impacting local government and civil society action ................................................................................... 74 8.3. Summary of policy recommendations ............................................................................................................... 75 8.3.1. Building future-oriented economies ............................................................................................................................. 76 8.3.2. Managing migration and mobilities ............................................................................................................................... 77 8.3.3. Increase women’s workforce participation and economic mobility ................................................................ 78 9. PROBLEMS & CHALLENGES .......................................................................................................................... 80 10. RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................................................