Young workers in Asia-Pacific face instability and vulnerability | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

According to a new ILO report, “Labour market transitions of young women and men in Asia and the Pacific”, informality and vulnerable employment are the reality for the vast majority of young workers in Asia-Pacific. Nearly half of workers aged 15−29 are self-employed and two in three youth are in paid work without a written contract.

The findings are based on school-to-work surveys carried out in 2012-2013 among young people in five countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, Samoa and Vietnam), under the ILO Work4Youth (W4Y) Project.

The average youth unemployment rate in these countries was 14.2%, ranging from 3.8% in Cambodia to 28.9% in Nepal. The unemployment rate of young women (19.9%) exceeded that of their male (11.9%) counterparts in all five countries.

It found close links between education and employment. One concern identified is that educational attainment in the region remains comparatively low, despite recent progress. The results clearly show that investing in education brings positive returns in terms of wages and access to better jobs.

The report is intended to assist governments to place youth employment at the heart of their political agendas and propose a range of government actions, including designing macroeconomic policies to promote job growth, ensuring educational access for all, and strengthening support for informal enterprises.

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