Murombo anoraswa nehama dzake dzose, kuzoti shamwari dzake, dzinomunzvenga zvakadii! Kunyange akavatevera achidemba kwazvo havangawanikwi Proverbs 19:7
Tendai F Mazangwa Msc Counselling Psychology
Unemployment among young women is an issue of concern thus those of between 20 and 40 years of age; it has adverse effects on young women. Unemployment is a situation whereby individuals are unable to find a paid job despite their readiness and willingness to work (Fajana, 2000). It is of great importance to note that consequences of unemployment amongst young women are not consistent across countries; hence the consequences cannot be generalized in whole to unemployed young women.
The United Nations, (2012), stipulates how young women in most of the economies suffer a lot from unemployment compared to their male counterparts. Feminists suggest that this is so due to how women are faced with conflicts surrounding gender inequalities, unemployment among young women is a result of male dominance and female subordination brought about by culture, whereby due to the existing social structures men dominate almost in all fields and women are treated as mere objects.
Multifaceted Nature of Unemployment
Although the Consequences of unemployment among young women are multifaceted, there being social, economic, political as well as psychological consequences. There is a correlation between unemployment and poor mental health outcomes. Paul and Moser (2009), make it clear that there is an association between unemployment and poor mental health; they report that the psychological effects of unemployment are mainly depressive symptoms, low subjective wellbeing and low self esteem. As women are highly unemployed in Zimbabwe it’s most likely that they suffer from such negative effects of unemployment.
Depression and Unemployment
Depression is a very common psychological consequence often characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest in activities that are normally enjoyed accompanied by the inability to carry out daily activities. Having to deal with failure to meet basic needs, financial distress, economic insecurity increases levels of depression as stipulated by Madianos, Economou, Alexiou & Stefanis, (2011). Paul and Moser, (2009) aver that, those who are unemployed show more distress, than the employed, explaining that the unemployed have poorer subjective wellbeing and higher levels of depression, distress, anxiety as well as psychosomatic symptoms. When women are unemployed they feel marginalized, pessimistic and they tend to lack control over their lives leading to depression.

The Unemployment Shame
Linked to depression, consequences seemingly caused by unemployment among young women are, social isolation, loneliness and stigma resulting from low economic status as given (De Wtte, Rothmann & Jackson, 2012). Unemployment results in absence of social contacts amongst women. Ali, Fall & Hofman, (2013) explain that loneliness is explained in terms of the absence of social relations, unemployment results in no social contacts which affects one’s identity, causing feelings of shame for not meeting social requirements, there by depressing the unemployed young women more.
Suicide and Unemployment
Suicidal ideation is one of the psychological consequences of unemployment among young women. According to Egunjobi, (2007) , suicidal ideation comes with unemployment , he stipulates that social problems such as suicide becomes more severe in times of high unemployment whereby one will be deprived of basic benefits , concurring with Chang , Sanna, Hirsch & Jeglic (2010) who explains that negative life events can exceptionally contribute to suicide risk. The World Health Organization, WHO, (2000) supports suicidal ideation as a consequence of unemployment as it points out that there really is a strong relationship between unemployment and suicide.
Loss of Personal Efficacy
Unemployment among young women can be said to have devastating psychological consequences as it results in the perception of personal efficacy being altered, as the duration of unemployment extends, the likelihood of holding the beliefs of personal efficacy declines for young women hence aggravating one’s perception of helplessness. Dorling, (2009) alludes that the issue of unemployment among young women is linked to hopelessness, lack of confidence as well as low self-esteem.
Cognitive Distortions
Biased perspectives of women especially of themselves in the background of unemployment result in lives of young women. Young women because of them not being able to look after themselves and families financially might end up having irrational thoughts of them as worthless. Ackerman (2017) echoes that negative beliefs become reinforced over time as truths. Cognition of young women becomes clouded with debilitative thought patterns and a negatively biased view of self (Joiner, Alfano and Metalsky 1992). It is from this frame of structural violence manifesting itself as unemployment that this subtle phenomenon arises in women. The unfortunate part of this phenomenon is that; when it occurs to women they are often unaware that it is in full operation in their lives via self cursing behaviors (Joiner, Alfano and Metalsky 1992). When it occurs in such subtle silent fashion it often denies them opportunity to fight it as they would be unaware of its presence in their lives.
Future Directions
Taking into consideration how the rate of unemployment has risen, lives of many young women has become unbearable and there is urgent need for unemployment to be controlled in order to restore good psychological health amongst young women. There is need for government to make bilateral arrangements with other nations to offer employment for women in areas were these countries are in need of labor. It is also prudent that currently women who are qualified but remain unemployed are given a minimum unemployment payout every month to cushion them from the travesty associated with unemployment.
References
Ali,S.R.,Fall, K.&Hoffman, T. (2013).Life without work:understanding social class changes and unemployment through theoretical intergration. Journal of career Assessment Assessment, 21 (1) 111-126
Ackerman C (2017) Cognitive Distortions: When Your Brain Lies to you (+PDF Worksheets) positivepsychologyprogram.com
Chang,E.C.,Sanna, L.J., Hirsch,J.K., &Jeglic,E.L. (2010).Loneliness and negative life events as predictors of hopelessness and suicidal behaviours in Hispanics :Evidence for a Diathesis-stress Model. J.clin.psychol.,66:1242-1253
De Witte,H., Rothmann,S., & Jackson, L.T.B. (2012). The psychological consequences of unemployment in South Africa. South African Journal of Economic and management sciences. 15 (3),235-252.
Dorling,D. (2009). Unemployment and Health. British medical journal, 14 (2)61-72
Egunjobi, T. (2007). Crime and unemployment :An empirical Analysis in employment generation in Nigeria. American Journal of sociology, 63 (6)597-606.
Fajana , S. (2010). Functioning of the NigerianLabour market. Lobefin & company ,Lagos :Nigeria.
Joiner, Jr.T.E, Alfano,M.S. and Metalsky,G.I (1992). When depression breeds contempt: Reassuarance seeking, self-esteem and rejection of depressed college students by their roommates. J. Abnormal Psychology.,101:165-173
Madianos, M.,Economou, M.,Alexiou, T.,& Stefanis, C. (2011). Depression and economic hardships across Greece in 2008 and 2009: Two cross sectional surveys nationwide. Social psychiatry and psychiatric Epidemiology, 46 (10),943-952
Paul, K.I.,& Moser,K., (2009). Unemployment impairs mental health :meta-analyses. Journal of vocational behaviour, 74 (3), 264-282
United Nations, (2012).The Millennium Development Goals Report. UN,Department of Economic and social affairs, New York.
WHO, (2000). Preventing Suicide :A resource for general physicians mental and behavioural disorders. Department of mental health :World Health Organization,WHO worldwide initiative for the prevention of suicide, Geneva.