Youth unemployment is global crisis, according to Mercy Corps analysis, over the next decade, the World Bank estimates one billion young people—will try to enter the job market, but less than half of them will find formal jobs. This will leave the majority of young people, many in minority and marginalized groups, unemployed or experiencing working poverty. The predicted rise in economic inequality and inadequate job opportunities has the potential to negatively impact a generation of young people around the world.
Youth is a concept that’s been widely debated, some people contending youth is merely a transition from childhood to adulthood, while others consider it a life stage that should be recognized for having its own set of complex issues and experiences, not the least of which is rapid socioeconomic change. No matter one’s views on the concept of youth, the situation known as youth unemployment is one that should concern us all.
having a significant amount of young people out of work can negatively impact a community’s economic growth and development. If left unchecked, youth unemployment can have serious social repercussions because unemployed youth tend to feel left out, leading to social exclusion, anxiety and a lack of hope for the future. Given that almost 90% of all young people live in low-income nations, not feeling that a better life is possible can result in millions of young people floundering in poverty and frustration – bringing fragile nations down with them.
Looking at areas like Africa where there are nearly 200 million people between the ages of 15 and 24 (a number that’s expected to double by 2045), it’s easy to see that skyrocketing youth unemployment rates will have a serious impact if not addressed
While the OECD youth unemployment rate (workers aged 15-24) has remained broadly stable over last two months, it is still 6.7 percentage points higher than the unemployment rate for workers aged 25 and above.
Concluding Thoughts
While the global unemployment disparity among the youth is evident, the unemployment trend is increasing widely. dearth of research has shown that for community to prosper, increased youth employment is paramount. Based on my 15 years of experience in the sector, this has not been prioritized specially in conflict and crisis affected countries where youth unemployment is significant. we need system thinking, we need improved youth employment outcomes and we need to ensure that jobs created are also sustainable. this is minimum, i am sure we can do more.
Abdulahi Adem
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