Economic recovery plan should focus on youth: Experts

With one in every three youth not in education, employment, or training (NEET) and high unemployment rate, the generation of young people in the country was already the most vulnerable cohort in society before the outbreak of Covid-19.

And thus, the impact of pandemic-induced lockdowns, general holidays, job losses and a lack of employment opportunities for newcomers in the labour market has been more severe on the youth than any other segments, experts said.

But, it is the country's young people who will have to play the most pivotal role in reviving the country's economy from Covid-19 fallouts and achieving SDGs, they said, suggesting that the government should formulate an economic recovery plan prioritising the backward sections and the disengaged youth in society.

The experts were speaking at an online dialogue styled "Disengaged Youth in Bangladesh: Who, Why and How?" – held jointly by the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh and UNDP Bangladesh held on the eve of the International Youth Day.

Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, convener of the citizen's platform, said every planning about the future of Bangladesh has to focus on the youth.

The impact of the epidemic on the youth was high, he noted, adding the effects of the coronavirus have been even greater on those who are traditionally backward, and those who are already at risk.

Mentioning that a section of the youth is surviving in the international competition with their own talents and qualifications, he said, at the same time, a section of the youth is not being used properly for the welfare of the country and the nation.

Sudipto Mukerjee, resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Bangladesh, informed the event that about two million young people in Bangladesh are being transformed into adulthood every year. But, whether this manpower is working for the economy is crucial.

Citing data provided by the Bureau of Statistics (BBS), he said about six million people aged 15-24 are NEET. And according to the ILO, the rate is 40%, where the number of women is higher.

He said about 47% of women and 10% of men are not doing anything. Meanwhile, the ongoing pandemic has added a new dimension to the disengagement of youth.

He said the closure of educational institutions due to the pandemic has had an extremely negative impact on students.

He commented that even if some educational activities are going on online or through Sangsad TV, it is not enough.

Commenting that the education system in Bangladesh, especially the education curriculum, is not in line with future needs, Sudipto said major changes need to be made in the education curriculum in the future.

He also said that in the current situation, if the youth are to be involved in development, then the coverage of the Internet needs to be further increased.

Emphasising the accessibility to information, he said accurate information about skills and jobs should be imparted to the youth.

Maha Mirza, a development researcher and activist, said young people who have been forced to join the informal sector by being deprived of education were never in the minds of policymakers. "Policymakers do not want to think of anything other than the ready-made garment sector, remittance and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Policies are made with the predominance of small parts, excluding reality," he observed.

He also pointed at the fact that a huge number of people are working in the RMG industry and a large number of young people are also engaged in various other professions including bus conductors, restaurant workers, house maids, rickshaw pullers.

Noting that it will not be possible for everyone to finish their education and join any good profession in the informal sector in the present reality of Bangladesh, he said this situation, the government must think anew about the unprivileged youth.

Tasnuva Annan Shishir, a transgender rights activist and news presenter at Boishakhi Television, said there are legal restrictions on the protection of the transgender community. She called for ensuring all facilities including legal and health for them.

Joshiah Sangma Chibal, a disability rights activist working with Physically-Challenged Development Foundation (PDF), observed people with disabilities still face inequalities at various levels in society.

She said special efforts need to be made to eliminate inequality for people with disabilities in the education system and employment.

Shamim Ahmed, executive director of Youth Engagement for Sustainability (YES), Bangladesh, said youth should be given the opportunity to contribute to the economy by creating employment and bringing them into the mainstream of development. He recommended that policies formulated by the government do not focus on urban areas only.

Speaking about discriminations faced by tea workers, Mohan Rabidas, tea workers' rights activist and president of the Jagoron Jubo Forum, said the youth from this community are deprived of education and are almost alienated from the world outside the tea gardens, which is why they cannot speak out.