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Youth in Fiji and Pacific face tough times

January 20, 2021 4:40 pm

Report author Matthew Dornan, a Senior Economist at the World Bank. [Source: Linkedin]

Youth face an uncertain future as COVID-19 continues to impact economies like Fiji and other Pacific Island nations.

A new World Bank report titled, Pacific Island Countries in the era of COVID 19, says that many of the socioeconomic consequences of the outbreak will have a disproportionate impact on youth, while the health impacts of COVID-19 are felt most acutely amongst older adults.

The report goes on to say that the pandemic poses a serious threat to the livelihoods and economic opportunities of youth in our region where they are already at greater risk of unemployment.

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Report author Matthew Dornan, a Senior Economist at the World Bank, says the so-called ‘Generation COVID’ faces dire employment prospects.

“Youths who are not well established in labor markets are particularly at risk of long term unemployment due to the economic crisis.”

The reports goes on to say that an increase in unemployment, higher-skilled or more experienced workers to accept lower-wage jobs reducing even further the chances of unemployed youth finding work or gaining work experience.