Countries, including Bangladesh, Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Turkiye, among others, have more than 20 per cent of NEET young people aged between 15 and 24 years, according to a global report.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has recently published the 'Asia-Pacific Population and Development Report 2023'.
It was imperative that financing in young people to provide them with the fullest opportunities to be productive through education, decent employment and access to health services is the key to reaping the demographic dividend, the report reads.
The global publication has warned that the Asia-Pacific region is in a dilemma in dealing with different aspects of health, poverty eradication, sanitation, nutrition and education to ensure desired development for the population.
Yet some of the problems were exacerbated due to the Covid-19 pandemic followed by geopolitical tensions, it said.
"Children of all ages and in all countries have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic directly and indirectly," the report reads.
The report presented a set of recommendations to reap the benefits of demographic dividends in Bangladesh and countries alike.
It has suggested recognising adolescents and young people as 'agents of change', building resilience of young people and address the root causes of many key challenges they face.
The report has also called for addressing youth unemployment, underemployment, vulnerable employment and informal employment by developing and implementing targeted and integrated youth employment policies for inclusive creation of decent jobs, improved employability, skill development and vocational training.
It has highlighted poverty eradication and employment, health, education, ageing, international migration and sustainable development aspects of the region.
On the ageing issue in the region, the report said changing patterns in household sizes and structures, with co-residence generally decreasing, are impacting care supply.
Multi-generational living is still common in many parts of the region, with more than 15 per cent of households in Bangladesh and other countries are home to people aged both over 65 and under 15 years, it added.
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