Lockdown generation

Subject: Economy

Context:

A study by International Labour Organization has warned that the COVID crisis has disproportionately affected young people, and could impact upon their work opportunities and career options for decades to come.

Concept:

• ILO termed youths of present generation as ‘lockdown generation’ as they have been bearing social and economic impact of COVID pandemic.
• The Covid-19 pandemic has caused surging unemployment worldwide, but has hit young workers especially hard; forcing more than one in six people aged under 29 to stop working.
• One of the biggest blows dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the consequent lockdown, has been to the livelihoods of the young working population, especially those in the lower income groups.
• The report warned that young people are facing a “triple shock” from the crisis, which is not only destroying their employment but has also disrupted education and training, and has made it far more difficult to try to enter the labour market or move between jobs.
• The ILO report called for an urgent and large-scale response to the crisis, including employment and training guarantee programmes for young people.
• It warned that if youths’ talent and energy is sidelined by a lack of opportunity or skills it will damage future and make it much more difficult to re-build a better, post-Covid economy.