The current generation of young people – numbering 1.8 billion – is one-quarter of the world’s population and a dominant force now and in the decades to come. This generation represents the largest cohort of young people ever with the demographic boom across much of the world. If these young people are prepared with the relevant skills to become productive and engaged members of society, they will significantly contribute towards positive socio-economic development outcomes and the Sustainable Development Goals. However, investments towards quality employment and entrepreneurship opportunities fall short of young people’s aspirations and the growing pool of young jobseekers. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is rapidly changing labor market needs and many education systems are struggling to prepare young people with skills in demand while millions continue to remain out of school.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, 267 million young people (aged 15-24) were not in employment, education and training (NEET); two-thirds of which are young women, as a result of gendered expectations of unpaid family work (e.g. sibling/childcare, household chores) and informal employment. While recognizing girls and boys experience adolescence in very different ways, the world tends to narrow for girls, who face limitations on their ability to move freely and to make decisions affecting their education, work, marriage and relationships. They are also vulnerable to child marriage, teenage pregnancy, gender-biased sex selection and violence.
This global pandemic is poised to deepen a learning crisis that already existed, with millions of young people not developing the skills that will enable them to get a good job, start a business, and engage in their community. The quality and levels of access to education and skill-development opportunities, particularly for the most marginalized, are desperately limited and inadequate for young people who are demanding – and deserve – access to learning. With the sudden closure of schools where over 1 billion students globally were affected, governments have taken actions to ensure learning continuity.