A focus group was held with unemployed women aged 50 and over
As part of the project "Identifying the causes of long-term unemployment of older women in Serbia and North Macedonia", supported by the Visegrad Fund, a focus group was held at the Institute of Economic Sciences on 14 October 2025. The group consisted of unemployed women from Belgrade aged 50 and over. The discussion covered overcoming obstacles in job searching, gaps between skills and market needs, motivation, support from institutions and employers, and the impact of existing measures.
The objectives of the focus group were:
- to assess the general situation and identify specific obstacles faced by long-term unemployed women aged 50 and over in the Belgrade region,
- to determine to what extent life circumstances and motivation can contribute to improving their status in the labour market,
- to assess the impact of existing policies, programmes, measures and initiatives designed to support the participation of women in this age group in the labour market,
- to highlight bottlenecks and weaknesses of existing solutions through interactive discussion and offer suggestions for improvement.
After exchanging opinions, the meeting concluded that this age group of women has significant potential arising from experience gained in previous employment and training, often undertaken on their own initiative, in response to job requirements or due to the flexibility that enabled them to acquire new professions while working. Women in this age group, by their presence in the labour market, demonstrate their willingness to work but expect greater support.
The conclusions from the focus group discussion will be included in the comprehensive report to be presented at the round table in Belgrade on 18 November 2025.
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