The definition of youth varies across the globe. In Nepal, people between the ages of 15 and 29 are considered to be youths. According to this definition and the2011 census data, 25 percentof Nepal’s population are youths. Moreover, people aged between 15 and 59 represent almost 57 percent of the country’s population, which means a lot for the nation-building process. However, Nepal has a very low socio-economic status in South Asia, just ahead of Afghanistan. The 10-year-long armed conflict, nine years of political turmoil, the devastating Gorkha earthquake and the ongoing blockade in the southern region have severely exacerbated socio-economic life. Worse still, the government has projected a negative economic growth rate for the country in decades.

Dwindling hope

As a young woman whorecently returned from Germany with the hope of landing a good job in Nepal I am interested in knowing what it means to be a youth in this country for many like me.  Of course, Nepal is challenged by so many difficulties, and some of the problems are as high as Mt Everest. And youth is a crucial time of life when young people start realising their aspirations, assuming their economic independence and finding their place in society. But the youth of Nepal arefrustrated, confused and tensed due to the perennial political volatility and prevalent nepotism and corruption.

A BBA student studying in the seventh semester at Public Youth Campus is determined to fly abroad for a better and secured future; another student from Nobel College has the same plan. They represent a majority of the youth who think that they do not have a future in Nepal. According to a World Bank survey conducteda few years ago,at least 2.1 million Nepalis are working abroad. Immigration reports published in the following years make it clear that the ratio is increasing rapidly. Unfortunately, many young people, both skilled and unskilled, do not find Nepal to be a labour-friendly and secure destination. But they also know that life overseas is not that much comfortable either.

In 2014, The Guardian published a report which revealed fatal pressures on Nepali workers in Qatar. Many human rights activists across the globe termed it modern day slavery.

But youths in Nepal are at high risk of under-employment. Thisis because the economy is traditionally agriculture-based. The International Labour Organisation reports of 2013-14 showed that almost three-quarters of the workers in Nepal still earn their living in the agricultural sector. This means that it is hard to earn enough for a decent standard of living. Even for those working in the service sector, the quality of jobs is low and nepotism is widely prevalent. Therefore, youths are either keen on going abroad for work or settlement. The intense desire to leave the country is visible when hordes ofNepalis fill up the US Diversity Visa (DV) form. No matter which profession they belong to or how old they are, winning the DV lottery or getting a green card matters a lot. It is simply saddening to see our doctors, nurses, engineers, scientists and unskilled brothers and sisters feel guilty about back in the country.

Some people blame current government policiesfor encouraging the young to go abroad for work. Regardless, our remittance-based economy should eventually create jobs. Things cannot continue as they are forever.

Always in queue

Political volatility, which continues to cause much frustration especially among young people, must come to an end. We can call today’s youth a ‘waiting generation’ because they are always in a queue to get a visa, apply for a job, get on or off a bus or receive treatment at a hospital. They are deeply troubled because they feel that they need to have enough money to send their children to boarding schools or be able to afford a check-up at a private hospital. To avoid boredom and kill time,the young engage in social media like Facebook and Twitter, even though it is a fruitless activity.

It is accepted that Nepal’s economy is not capable of creating employment for all those entering the labour market. A Nepali assistant professor at the University of Bonn in Germany once complained that the education system in Nepal is static with a huge discrepancy between market trends and prospects. Youthscomplain that universities in Nepal are just machines to mass produce graduates.

According to the latest census data, 95 percent of the Nepali children are currently enrolled at the primary level, and this figure is expected to rise to 100 percent by the end of the current plan period. In a few years, this youth population will be streaming into the labour market. Therefore, the political parties, whatever their political philosophyor agenda, must come to an agreement on running industries, creating jobs, employing youths, mobilising stored energy and utilising the maximum local resources to prevent the frustration among the youths from deepening.

Kafle has a degree in social sciences