Context:
- Out of Nepal’s population of 29.67 million, over 60 per cent comprise youth, although, when compared to the country’s general unemployment rate, the youth unemployment is significantly higher. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), more than 19 per cent of Nepalese youth are unemployed. ILO estimates that over 400,000 young people enter the labour force every year. This results in a shortage of desired career options; added to an unfavourable working environment and limited opportunities, on a daily basis, about 1,500 youth migrate overseas in search of better working conditions and higher wages.
Implementation of programme/ initiative:
- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Nepal Youth Strategy emphasizes the critical significance of young people in several domains of development, including economic growth, democratic governance and resilience building, with the goal of mainstreaming youth as agents of positive change in all development areas. The strategy embodies UNDP’s commitment to prioritizing, assessing and resolving youth issues, needs and concerns, as well as assisting young people in actively participating in local and global progressions.
- In addition, the initiative also supports the work of the UN Secretary- General’s Envoy on Youth and the UN Interagency Network on Youth Development, as well as the execution of the UN System-wide Action Plan on Youth.
Main challenges:
- Despite ample efforts to implement the objectives of initiatives to empower youth, collaborating with multilateral, international and regional organizations, as well as development partners, is a challenge and needs to be strengthened.
- At the state level, youth are still on the periphery of the political, social and economic arenas. Youth engagement in formal political processes and institutions remains low. As a result, lack of engagement and inclusion are prominent impediments to the development and empowerment of the youth population, which then leads to migration to foreign countries for better opportunities.
Results achieved:
- The Youth Strategy emphasizes achieving three outcomes which are: increased economic empowerment of youth, youth civic engagement, and youth engagement in resilience building.
- Under increased economic empowerment of youth, the Micro-enterprise Development Programme has been developed. This engages youth in activities that promote livelihoods, with an emphasis on eco-tourism, agriculture and marketing, developing their potential to take on leadership roles in national and local microentrepreneur networks. The programme was established in 1998 by UNDP and the Nepal government. Since then, it has evolved into a model of enterprise development with the capacity to lift thousands of people out of poverty. Of the over 130,000 micro-entrepreneurs created by the project, 60 per cent are youth (aged 16 to 40 years).
- Under youth civic engagement, the Social Cohesion and Democratic Participation Programme, has been developed and implemented to increase the capacity of youth to promote social cohesion via the establishment of inclusive platforms in conflict zones. The programme was initiated in 2016 to build social cohesion and prevent tensions from escalating in the backdrop of Nepal’s new Constitution and the upcoming transition to federalism. More than 350 youth, women, civil society activists, journalists and political leaders have participated in the project’s local efforts to strengthen social peace in their areas, with positive developments resulting.
- Under youth engagement in resilience building, a project entitled Safe Debris Management, Demolition and Disaster Waste Management, has been developed and implemented to mobilize youth in catastrophe preparation, awareness and recovery activities. Before the devastating earthquake of 2015, the country did not have sufficient experts with disaster preparedness training. Through the initiative, international demolition professionals have provided extensive training to 105 young Nepali engineers in safe debris management, demolition and disaster waste management. Also, UNDP has recruited 92 of the 105 engineers, in collaboration with the UNV programme; the engineers have received on-the-job training and have participated in technical workshops. Through a cash-for-work initiative, they also have transmitted technical expertise to approximately 4,000 employees involved in debris management, demolition and trash management.
Moving Forward:
- The aim of fostering an enabling environment for youth to participate and contribute to economic growth and development cannot be accomplished without the input and partnership of direct and indirect stakeholders. Likewise, in the future, UNDP will need to analyse further avenues for resource mobilization, as well as better outreach and engagement, to have a greater impact as part of its larger mission to support sustainable youth development in the country.
Replicability:This strategy guides UNDP Nepal in identifying key goals for systematic and coordinated action to support youth empowerment, and carry out effective advocacy, mainstreaming of youth issues and impact assessment. Other initiatives can benefit from the approach taken by UNDP, including by working closely with the local government. Some of the key lessons include outlining target areas at the initial stage for effective implementation of any programme, undertaking situational assessment of the target region or community and ensuring collaboration and partnership with various grassroots organizations and local governing bodies.
Acknowledgement:
This good practice was kindly prepared by Ms. Yashashwi Adhikari.
References:
https://www.ilo.org/kathmandu/areasofwork/employment-promotion/lang–en/index.htm
https://un.org.np/sites/default/files/doc_publication/2018-12/UNDP_NP-Youth-Strategy.pdf
https://nepalnews.com/s/issues/youth-unemployment-a-serious-problem-in-nepal
Project Details
Date: December 15, 2022