MINSK, 18 November (BelTA) – The youth employment rate in Belarus is close to 55%, one of the highest in the Commonwealth of Independent States, BelTA learned from Olga Gerasenko, spokesperson of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Belarus.
According to statistics, the labor force participation rate among young people aged 15-29 exceeds 50% in a number of CIS states, namely Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The unemployment rate among young people stands at 10% in the CIS on the whole and is comparable to the world's average (12.6%), however, it is considerably lower than the figure registered in the European Union (18.1%). Experts note that the secondary education coverage in the CIS states remains high while the literacy rate among young people aged 15-24 is virtually 100%. In Belarus per 1,000 capita there are 169 people aged 14-31 with a university degree and 245 people with a vocational school degree. In Belarus people aged 14-31 are classified as youth. Young people account for over 23% of the country's population or about 2.2 million people. As many as 82.7% of the youth live in urban areas while 17.3% of the youth live in rural areas.
This year's report on investments in youth released by the UNFPA notes that at present the Earth is home to the largest generation of youth on record — 1.8 billion people. They have a huge potential for assisting with the resolution of the main problems that the mankind faces. However, too many of them are deprived of legal opportunities to get quality education, decent jobs, and to partake in the political life of their countries. The report covers conditions, which are being created in the world for the sake of offering development opportunities to one fourth of the world's population. The report also covers what opportunities young people have for taking part in decision making.
“Our common future depends on how needs and wishes of young people are addressed. Capital investments in the resolution of youth problems (investments in professional training, education, sexual health) create a reliable foundation for effectively counteracting the ageing of the population,” said UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin.
Getting young people involved in making political decisions at the state level and the development of policies that will influence the life of young people in the end is one of the factors able to improve youth policy effectiveness in various countries. The share of young deputies (under 35) in the national parliaments of the CIS states is rather low and is slightly more than 6% on the average. The share of women under 35 in the majority of parliaments of the CIS states is less than 1%.
The UNFPA in Belarus tries to get young people involved in its operation. A national advisory board for youth affairs has been instituted. Its members will provide recommendations on youth problems to the UN system if necessary. They will also participate in events of UN agencies that concern youth interests, noted Yelena Kasko, deputy representative of the UNFPA. In order to become a member of the board, motivated Belarusians aged 14-31 with a good command of English, who are able to take part in consultative meetings, are invited to submit their applications by 15 December.
The advisory board on youth affairs will comprise 15-20 people aged 14-31 that will represent various social strata and interests, educations, professions, various regions of the country, various sexes, faiths, people related to local youth and profession unions.
The year 2015 has been declared the Year of Youth in Belarus. The relevant presidential decree has been passed for the sake of developing the creative, scientific, and professional potential of youth, the active involvement of young people in social and economic changes in Belarus, for inspiring the feeling of patriotism and civil responsibility among young citizens. The resolution of problems that trouble young people is part of the state policy in the area of social, economic, cultural, and national development of the country. The declaration of the year 2015 as the Year of Youth will attract more attention of government agencies and the general public to the implementation of the major directions of the state youth policy in Belarus.
According to statistics, the labor force participation rate among young people aged 15-29 exceeds 50% in a number of CIS states, namely Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The unemployment rate among young people stands at 10% in the CIS on the whole and is comparable to the world's average (12.6%), however, it is considerably lower than the figure registered in the European Union (18.1%). Experts note that the secondary education coverage in the CIS states remains high while the literacy rate among young people aged 15-24 is virtually 100%. In Belarus per 1,000 capita there are 169 people aged 14-31 with a university degree and 245 people with a vocational school degree. In Belarus people aged 14-31 are classified as youth. Young people account for over 23% of the country's population or about 2.2 million people. As many as 82.7% of the youth live in urban areas while 17.3% of the youth live in rural areas.
This year's report on investments in youth released by the UNFPA notes that at present the Earth is home to the largest generation of youth on record — 1.8 billion people. They have a huge potential for assisting with the resolution of the main problems that the mankind faces. However, too many of them are deprived of legal opportunities to get quality education, decent jobs, and to partake in the political life of their countries. The report covers conditions, which are being created in the world for the sake of offering development opportunities to one fourth of the world's population. The report also covers what opportunities young people have for taking part in decision making.
“Our common future depends on how needs and wishes of young people are addressed. Capital investments in the resolution of youth problems (investments in professional training, education, sexual health) create a reliable foundation for effectively counteracting the ageing of the population,” said UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin.
Getting young people involved in making political decisions at the state level and the development of policies that will influence the life of young people in the end is one of the factors able to improve youth policy effectiveness in various countries. The share of young deputies (under 35) in the national parliaments of the CIS states is rather low and is slightly more than 6% on the average. The share of women under 35 in the majority of parliaments of the CIS states is less than 1%.
The UNFPA in Belarus tries to get young people involved in its operation. A national advisory board for youth affairs has been instituted. Its members will provide recommendations on youth problems to the UN system if necessary. They will also participate in events of UN agencies that concern youth interests, noted Yelena Kasko, deputy representative of the UNFPA. In order to become a member of the board, motivated Belarusians aged 14-31 with a good command of English, who are able to take part in consultative meetings, are invited to submit their applications by 15 December.
The advisory board on youth affairs will comprise 15-20 people aged 14-31 that will represent various social strata and interests, educations, professions, various regions of the country, various sexes, faiths, people related to local youth and profession unions.
The year 2015 has been declared the Year of Youth in Belarus. The relevant presidential decree has been passed for the sake of developing the creative, scientific, and professional potential of youth, the active involvement of young people in social and economic changes in Belarus, for inspiring the feeling of patriotism and civil responsibility among young citizens. The resolution of problems that trouble young people is part of the state policy in the area of social, economic, cultural, and national development of the country. The declaration of the year 2015 as the Year of Youth will attract more attention of government agencies and the general public to the implementation of the major directions of the state youth policy in Belarus.
Follow us on:
