http://www.worldbank.org/saryouth

South Asia Regional Youth Conference Concludes in New Delhi

  The event began with a welcoming song - 'Jai Jagat' - a song of peace.

More than 75 youth representatives from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,  Malaysia, Nepal and Sri Lanka were in attendance.

The event was facilitated by the Indian Committee of Youth Organizations and the World Bank's South Asia region, as well as the Bank's Youth, Development, and Peace Network (YDP).  The YDP is following through on a promise to help create regional youth conferences as an extension of the Paris and Sarajevo global youth conferences. >>>learn more about the Sarajevo conference.

Michael Carter, the Country Director for India reiterated the importance of youth in development and said that the two day conference not only provided an opportunity for young people to discuss the issues that are of utmost importance to them but also was an opportunity for the Bank to listen and work with youth to take the dialogue further.

  World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn had a spirited discussion with the attendees via videolink from London. Watch the Video of James D. Wolfensohn's Dialogue with Youth from South Asia: >>>lo bandwith >>>hi bandwith

One highlight of the conference was a video discussion with the World Bank President, Mr. James D. Wolfensohn, who beamed in from London to have a brief interaction with the students and reiterate the World Bank's commitment to dialogue.

 LISTEN to Youth Voices - Sounds from the South Asia Regional Youth Conference (mp3, 3minutes. Right-click to download, left-click to play.)

Dr. S. N. Subbrao,  the Chairman of the Indian Committee of Youth Organizations (ICYO) led the inaugural session with a welcome song  'Jai Jagat'  - a salutation to the world which resonated in the voices of the over 75 youth representatives from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,  Malaysia, Nepal and Sri Lanka.


More about Youth in South Asia

Developing the Future

 Resources

  HIV/AIDS in South Asia worldbank.org/youthink

There is a growing recognition worldwide that focusing on young people is a central aspect of economic and social development, and that past neglect may have led to major missed opportunities.  The World Bank is responding to increasing demand for solutions to the emerging social and economic challenges associated with a growing (and increasingly educated) young population with limited job prospects.

  Students returning home from school near the east coast town of Iccilampattai, Sri Lanka. Many students will have to make up for lost time from the tsunami - creating new challenges for Sri Lanka's youth.

Employment Constraints 
Increased access to education in many South Asian countries has led to a second generational problem: there are not enough good jobs for the many educated young people who are entering the labor market.  Indeed, young adults comprise one half of all unemployed in South Asia.  One reason for this is that formal job growth has lagged economic growth in most countries of the region. Another reason may be a skills mismatch between what employers need and the skills acquired in school. In urban areas, many young people queue up for long periods for limited civil servant positions. In rural areas, and outside of protected formal sector jobs, young people vie for seasonal and casual jobs, paying low and uncertain wages.  This lack of formal and productive employment opportunities for young people reduces the return on society’s investment in human capital and constrains economic growth.

HIV/AIDS and other social risks
 Young individuals are also prone to high risk social behaviors. Indeed, young people make up a disproportionately high percentage of new infections of HIV in South Asia.  Young people are particularly susceptible to HIV through drug use or unsafe sexual practices.  In addition to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies and abortions are also prevalent among adolescents in the region, with more than half of all abortions performed under unsafe conditions. Many young people in South Asia lack access to good, reliable information about sexually transmitted diseases and safe reproductive health practices, though this is changing.

Conflict 
The size and importance of the 15-24 group, and the potential political risk implied by large numbers of un- and under-employed youth, poses a major challenge for policymakers.  The large pool of jobless young adults has the potential to create social unrest and increase social and economic costs of youth unemployment. Thus, preventing marginalization of disenfranchised youth and their absorption into the workforce (whether formal or informal) is one of the key political imperatives facing governments across the world. 

Looking Ahead
Investing in young people will have a large economic pay off for South Asia.  Above all, investing in youth will benefit not only the current generation, but generations to come in terms of greater productivity, reduced rates of low-birth-weight babies, and reduced transmission of diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS.  A lessening of social and political strife is also possible.  Not addressing the issues facing young people will have large adverse economic, social and political consequences for the region, and the world beyond.

For more information
In Kathmandu: Rajib Upadhya,
Phone: (977) 1 226-79
E-mail: rupadhya@worldbank.org

In New Delhi: Geetanjali Chopra
Phone: (91-11) 461-7241
E-mail: gchopra@worldbank.org

In Washington: Karina Manasseh          
Phone: 1-202-473-1729
E-mail:   kmanasseh@worldbank.org