UNDP Report Warns Myanmar’s Youth Face Lost Future Amid Education, Job Crisis

A new United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) analysis paints a stark picture of the challenges confronting Myanmar’s youth, who account for more than one-third of the country’s population. Against a backdrop of political instability, economic contraction, conflict, and social disruption, young people are finding themselves locked out of education and employment pathways — leaving what the report describes as a “generation on hold.”

The study, A Generation on Hold: Youth Employment and Education in Myanmar, draws on the Myanmar Youth Survey 2024 — the most comprehensive national survey of young people to date — as well as interviews and focus group discussions. It is the second report in UNDP’s Asia-Pacific series tracking how prolonged conflict is reshaping the lives of Myanmar’s young generation.

A Generational Alarm

According to Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, the findings raise urgent concerns.

“The stalling of education-to-employment pathways in Myanmar represents not just an economic challenge, it sets off a generational alarm,” Wignaraja said. “Millions of young women and men are seeing their aspirations and their potential collapse under the weight of disrupted education, disappearance of good jobs and heightened insecurity — on top of entrenched gender and social barriers.”

Key Findings: Youth Exclusion and Inequality

The report highlights a multidimensional crisis affecting young people nationwide, with rural and conflict-affected youth bearing the heaviest burden. Among the most pressing findings:

• Exclusion from Work: Nearly one in four young people — around 4 million — are not employed. In Kayah State, more than half of youth are unemployed, while in Rakhine the figure is over 40%. Those who are working are largely in informal sectors such as farming, casual labor, or day-wage jobs, leaving them highly vulnerable to shocks.

• Disengagement from Learning: An estimated three in four youth aged 18–24 (over 5 million) are no longer enrolled in education or training. This rises to four in five in rural regions, especially in Tanintharyi, Chin, Sagaing, and Kayin, where conflict and poverty have forced many out of classrooms.

• Gendered Barriers: Nearly 25% of young women leave school due to household responsibilities, compared to just 5% of men. Women earn 22% less than men on average. In Tanintharyi, more than a third of non-working women report that their spouses prevent them from seeking employment.

• Unstable Livelihoods: One in four youth have changed their main source of income in the last two years due to layoffs, insecurity, or family pressures.

• NEET Generation: Nearly 3 million youth (around one in five) are Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET). The figure is particularly alarming among women (25%) and in conflict-affected areas like Kayah (42%) and Rakhine (32%).

The Human Cost

These trends risk creating a “NEET generation” that could remain excluded from opportunities for decades, perpetuating cycles of poverty, instability, and inequality. For Myanmar, this represents not only a social crisis but also a serious economic one, undermining its human capital and long-term development prospects.

Resilience and Ambitions

Despite these challenges, the survey reveals strong resilience among Myanmar’s youth. Nearly half expressed a strong interest in technical and vocational education, seeing it as a pathway to better livelihoods. Many are already involved in small-scale entrepreneurship and informal businesses, largely driven by necessity but reflecting adaptability and ambition.

UNDP’s Call to Action

The UNDP stresses the need for locally-driven interventions that expand access to flexible learning, vocational training, and job creation. Recommended actions include:

• Expanding technical and vocational training, particularly in agriculture, digital, and green sectors, which align with Myanmar’s economic potential.

• Addressing barriers faced by young women, including easing caregiving burdens, challenging restrictive social norms, and offering incentives for education and workforce participation.

• Supporting youth-led entrepreneurship and small businesses, especially in conflict-affected and rural areas, where economic opportunities are otherwise scarce.

• Ensuring flexible learning opportunities for displaced youth and those forced out of traditional schooling.

What’s at Stake

“Investing in Myanmar’s youth is critical for the country’s future resilience and recovery,” Wignaraja said. “What is at stake is more than jobs and education. It is the future capabilities and dreams of an entire generation.”

By strengthening youth access to education, training, and decent work, Myanmar can ensure that its young people are not a “generation on hold” but rather a generation that rebuilds the country’s future.

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