Vientiane, 30 July 2021- According to the Lao Labour Force Survey in 2017, with roughly 60% of the population under the age of 25, the percentage of youth who are potentially employable, but out of work, hovers at 37%. Furthermore, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has led to massive instability in what were relatively stable employment situations for young people in service industries. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has since conducted a study from November 2020 to January 2021, to learn about factors that influence youth unemployment, provide recommendations, and envision potential paths forward.

On 30 July 2021, the report titled “Youth Unemployment Issues in Lao PDR” was launched. The event saw active participation from various stakeholders including young people, government and private sector, CSOs, international organizations, development partners, and educational institutions. Ideally, the given circumstances resulting from the pandemic should compel Lao youth to adapt and search for work in other vocations other than service industries, but limited skill sets and work experience, compounded with opaque hiring processes and scant access to higher status sectors, continues to leave the state of youth unemployment reeling.

UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Ricarda Rieger highlighted, “at UNDP, we have a strong belief that young people are key agents of change and can contribute more to the sustainable development of this country. Understanding key barriers that hinder them from developing their skills and entering employment enables us to take another step in addressing such barriers”.

For Lao Press Release: ສຳລັບບົດຂ່າວພາສາລາວ

To read more about the study, please download the report by clicking here.

----------------------

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Aksonethip Somvorachit, UNDP Communications Analyst,

020 5502 1550, aksonethip.somvorachit@undp.org