New analysis from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) highlights the precarious learning situation facing Myanmar's young people, who make up more than one-third of the country's population. Amid political instability, economic contraction, and social disruption, pathways for education and earning have been severely eroded - leaving Myanmar's youth "on hold" and unable to realize their potential. Even youth with higher education struggle to find jobs, particularly young women, highlighting a growing disconnect between qualifications and available employment opportunities.
The findings are drawn from the nationally representative Myanmar Youth Survey 2024, complemented by interviews and focus group discussions. Entitled A Generation on Hold: Youth Employment and Education in Myanmar, this is the second report in a UNDP Asia-Pacific series tracking the effects of prolonged conflict on young people in Myanmar. Rural youth are particularly disadvantaged with lower access to formal jobs and education compared to urban peers, deepening regional inequalities.
"The stalling of education-to-employment pathways in Myanmar represents not just an economic challenge, it sets off a generational alarm," said Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. "Millions of young women and men are seeing their aspirations and their potential collapse under the weight of disrupted education, disappearance of good jobs and heightened insecurity on top of entrenched gender and social barriers."
Key findings include:
- High levels of youth exclusion from work: One in four youth - nearly 4 million - are not employed, with rates exceeding 50% in Kayah and 40% in Rakhine. Most employed youth work in informal sectors such as own-account farming or casual labor, leaving them vulnerable to income shocks and economic instability.
- Widespread disengagement from learning: Three in four youth aged 18 to 24 - over 5 million - are no longer in education or training. This figure increased to to four in five in rural areas, particularly in Tanintharyi, Chin, Sagaing, and Kayin.
- Gendered burdens in education and jobs: Nearly one in four young women leave school due to household responsibilities, compared to just 5% of men. Women earn, on average, 22% less than men. In Tanintharyi, more than one-third of non-working women report that their spouses prevent them from seeking employment.
- Instability of youth livelihoods: One in four youth changed their main source of income in the past two years due to layoffs, insecurity, or household pressures.
- Rising risk of a 'NEET generation': Nearly one in five youth - around 3 million - are not in employment, education, or training (NEET). The rates are highest among women, at 25%, and in conflict-affected regions like Kayah, where the rate is 42%, and Rakhine, where it is 32%.
Despite these challenges, the report highlights the resilience and ambitions of Myanmar's youth, with nearly half identifying technical education and vocational training as a top priority, and many already engaged in small-scale entrepreneurial activities, mostly out of necessity.
Based on this data, UNDP calls for immediate, locally-driven actions to expand flexible learning and vocational training, especially for rural, displaced, and caregiving youth. Aligning these skills with jobs in agriculture, digital, and green sectors. While challenging, it is important to address specific barriers to young women's employment, from easing caregiving burdens and restrictive norms, to providing incentives for young women to remain in education and in the workforce. Supporting youth-led entrepreneurship and small businesses, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected areas is a lifeline.
"Investing in Myanmar's youth is critical for the country's future resilience and recovery," added Wignaraja. "What is at stake is more than jobs and education. It is the future capabilities and dreams of an entire generation."
