Youth in Pakistan

Pakistan's estimated population (excluding the disputed areas of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan) was 207,774,520 according to the provisional results of the 2017 Census of Pakistan.^[1][2][3] Pakistan is the world's fifth-most-populous country.

The population is young: in 2019 34.8% were thought to be 14 or younger, though in 1990 this had been much higher at 43.7%.^[4] In 2010 the figure for those aged 24 or less was 62.19%.^[5]

Many young Pakistanis are affected by serious issues around education in Pakistan; only 68% of Pakistani children finish primary school education^[6] and Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world.^[7] Other areas with significant issues include: child marriage in Pakistan, child labour in Pakistan, street children, malnutrition, and health problems.

Unemployment poses an escalating concern in Pakistan. With a population exceeding 220 million and a workforce of approximately 65 million, the country faces challenges in offering an adequate number of job opportunities for its citizens. This issue is particularly acute for the youth, who constitute roughly 60% of the population and confront an unemployment rate of approximately 10%.^[8]