The recently concluded Seventh Session of the Asian and Pacific Population Conference (APPC) highlighted the need for forward-looking policies that harness the demographic transition and place individuals at the centre of sustainable development. Now is the moment to invest in policy tools that build resilience of individuals, especially for youth and young women, in part by extending access to social protection, providing quality education and employment opportunities, and enabling smoother job transitions.
However, significant challenges persist. Youth unemployment is higher across all subregions than for those aged 25 and above. Female youth have higher levels of unemployment than their male counterparts. Approximately two-thirds of the workforce engages in informal employment, leaving them vulnerable to hardships without employment safeguards or social protection. Half of the region's workforce is surviving on a meagre $5.5 per day, barely enough to prevent them from falling into poverty or protect them from sliding into it. Particularly at risk are unpaid care and domestic workers, who lack access to income and social protection.
The implementation of universal non-contributory social protection schemes can facilitate access of all to minimum income security, enabling individuals, including informal workers, persons with disabilities, women, youth, or migrant workers, to navigate life contingencies and maintain an adequate standard of living. Simulations conducted by ESCAP demonstrate that investing in universal child, disability, maternity, and old-age benefits can increase consumption for the poorest 10 per cent of the population by up to 82.6 per cent and on average by 38.6 per cent for 25 countries, with the combined costs for such schemes in countries ranging between 5.1% and 2.6% of GDP.
Figure 1. Investment in universal non-contributory child, disability, maternity and old age benefit can increase consumption for the poorest welfare decile
Although non-contributory schemes offer a basic degree of income security, it is essential to complement and combine them with job-related contributory schemes to achieve more extensive and elevated income protection. Unfortunately, in two-thirds of countries, less than half of the workforce participates in these contributory schemes. Overcoming this challenge entails addressing legal obstacles, adjusting incentive frameworks, streamlining administrative processes, reinforcing enforcement measures, and enhancing awareness and representation for informal workers. Positive steps have already been taken, such as expanding voluntary or mandatory contributory schemes, modifying eligibility criteria, and granting pension credits to caregivers.
Active Labour Market Policies (ALMPs) are vital in aligning the demand and supply of labour. They help the working-age population to secure decent and productive work through strategies such as public works, training, re-skilling, or job-matching. There is an urgent need to enhance the quantity and quality of training schemes, foster closer collaboration with the private sector, invest in public employment programs, and strive towards the formalization of jobs while promoting the principles of decent work.
In some countries, there are significant numbers of young people “neither in education, employment, or training” (NEET) struggling to find decent employment or upskilling opportunities. This situation undermines young people’s future employment and earnings prospects, heightening their risk of economic and social exclusion. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, young women accounted for nearly three-quarters of NEET in our region. Many cited personal or family-related concerns as the primary reasons for being inactive in the workforce. The pandemic has further exacerbated this. In addition to disruptions experienced by youth, such as lockdowns or school closures, many young women have experienced significant life events such as school dropout, early and unintended pregnancy, early and forced marriage, or exploitation in some form or another. These gendered factors and negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes become both causes and consequences with young women’s economic vulnerabilities.
It is therefore critical that policy and programme responses take into account the age and gender barriers that young women in particular face in their pursuit of education, vocational training, and decent employment opportunities. Evidence-based programmes tailored for vulnerable adolescent girls and young women to avert school dropout or child marriages, such as school-focused cash transfer programmes and girls’ empowerment programmes (including those supported by UNFPA and others), would support their transition to secondary education and enable them to avoid early unintended pregnancy, thereby laying a foundation toward building human capital. Moreover, with rapid population ageing, it is even more crucial to invest in adolescent and youth education, health, and skills for decent employment now before the window of opportunity closes.
Gender-sensitive youth policies, including female-centred employment policies, are further needed to support young women’s economic and social empowerment. For women and girls to compete in rapidly changing markets that will increasingly have a digital component (given digital transformation will take hold in many countries), additional efforts are required to build their digital literacy skills, encourage STEM education and access, and foster inclusivity for women and girls in technology and other employment fields needed for the 21st century.
As shared at the APPC, countries demonstrated progress and good practices to strengthen social protection systems, education and employment opportunities for individuals, especially youth, women, and girls. These investments help lay the foundations to build resilience of individuals and the pathways towards their empowerment. Their empowerment will in turn build the foundation for our future. Now is the time to invest.
