In a recently-released report, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimated that as many as 2.3 million young people in Pakistan may have lost their jobs during the lockdown period.
The report titled “Tackling the COVID-19 Youth Employment Crisis in Asia and the Pacific” found that the employment prospects of the region’s 660 million young people were severely challenged.
The report said that job loss among youth will continue throughout 2020 and could result in youth unemployment rates doubling in countries.
“Between 10 and 15 million youth jobs (full-time equivalent) may be lost across 13 countries in Asia and the Pacific in 2020,” the report said. The reports estimates were based on expected fall in output and consequent decrease in labour demand for the year relative to a non-COVID-19 scenario.
Both large and small countries were included in ADB’s estimate from countries such as India and Indonesia, as well as small ones such as Fiji and Nepal. The projected rise in youth unemployment rates, according to the report varies from country to country, but increases are expected for all countries.
In Cambodia, Fiji, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand, youth unemployment rates are expected to reach at least double the 2019 estimates even in a scenario of short COVID-19 containment, the ADB said.
