Young people should be in the driving-seat of their own personal development, enabled by government and other stakeholders to be active agents of change, according to Zuki Mqolomba, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from South Africa. More young people are poor or underemployed than ever before. Youths make up 30 percent of the total working-age population. Millions …

"Let us put the spotlight back on youth unemployment and poverty" Read More »

Nearly a quarter of Nigeria’s population is unemployed, raising concerns that disenchanted youth will turn to crime or revolution, writes Biodun Awosusi, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Nigeria. But a social entrepreneurship program offers a positive alternative.  In a bid to tackle unemployment in Nigeria, young graduates are turning into social entrepreneurs and using business …

“The unemployment situation is a time-bomb” Read More »

Unemployment and high prices face today’s young people, writes Laura Vincent, 23, a Correspondent from Stratford-upon-Avon in England, who describes the struggle to cope with student debt and start a career.  Is our generation doomed? I agree that that is rather morbid and pessimistic rhetoric to begin with, but what better? According to research by …

"Long-term unemployment discourages youth" Read More »

High unemployment has turned many graduates to look to their own skills and resourcefulness to create income opportunities, writes Sola Abe, 24, a Correspondent from Lagos in Nigeria. As the challenge of high unemployment continues to plague Africa’s biggest economy and most populous country, Nigerian graduates are increasingly looking away from paid employment. The number …

“Graduates focus on self-employment” Read More »

Unemployment can lead to social as well as economic problems, writes Jonathan Ugiagbe, 30, a Correspondent from Benin in Nigeria, who examines causes and potential solutions to a pervasive issue. One of the greatest challenges facing the Nigerian economy is unemployment, which has maintained a rising trend over the years. Viewing this from the perspective …

“Solving Nigeria’s unemployment problem” Read More »

Youthful enthusiasm and activism have a powerful role to play in Nigeria, according to a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth. As Sola Abe, 24, a Correspondent from Lagos in Nigeria reports, youth engagement can help Nigeria restructure for positive social change. In commemoration of the International Youth Day 2016, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, …

“Clamour for the restructuring of Nigeria” Read More »

Unemployment rates are alarming for young millennials, writes Aura Whittier, 17, a Correspondent from San Juan, Trinidad.  She worries that ever-higher education is not a hedge against the difficulties of finding work in one’s chose field.  My uncle received a National Scholarship from the government of Trinidad and Tobago to pursue an undergraduate degree, after …

“Job application stats worry this millennial” Read More »

Social and economic realities affecting  youth have been subdued by those in leadership, writes Badru Walusansa, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Kampala in Uganda. With over 78 per cent of its population below the age of 30, Uganda youth are plagued with a multitude of problems, including unemployment. As our politicians continue embarking on political-destruction-missions such …

“Youth unemployment cannot be under-rated” Read More »

Too many young people including graduates are without jobs globally, writes 26-year-old Ahmed Umer Sohaib  from  Lahore, Pakistan. He argues that with entrepreneurship being an answer to unemployment, Pakistan still needs to do more to support its development. The global unemployment rate may be stabilizing but it is still very high, with many countries still …

The entrepreneurship solution Read More »

Trinidad and Tobago’s oil refinery Petrotrin closed  its operations just over a week ago, leaving thousands of workers out of a job. Aura Whittier, 18, a Correspondent from San Juan, Trinidad questions whether the decision to close the oil refinery is the right one. “Trinidad and Tobago, even though small in size, is a significant …

” What can we learn from this situation?” Read More »