Youth Disconnect in Pakistan: Consequences of unsuccessful transition to adulthood

There is much talk of the youth bulge in Pakistan with over 20 per cent of the population, equalling around 40 million, aged 15-24 years. This discourse, however, in most cases misses the inequality in opportunities available to youth that can hinder their successful transition to adulthood. This can have consequences, economic, social and political, not only for the individual but also for the country. An analysis of the HIES shows that 39 per cent of the youth in Pakistan are disconnected from both employment and educational opportunities, with the rates being higher for females and rural areas than for males and urban areas, respectively. Regional differences are also evident among the four provinces, as are those shown by varying household income levels. Educational disconnect seem to mire both, working and non-working youth, with one-third having never been to school. Low end jobs adopted by the working youth are a clear manifestation of this trend. Youth’s own future and that of the country, which aims to achieve the ‘demographic dividend’, are at stake with such high levels of disconnect. Serious steps need to be taken to engage these youth and consequently help manage the negative socio-political and economic impact the country might have to face otherwise.