Demographic Dividend

Finding the Lost Youth!

There is a problem when there are resources but there is no one to process it. Our country, Nepal, is living under this situation. Instead of exporting the produced goods and services, our country is exporting huge number of manpower abroad, specially semi-skilled and non-skilled. In over 20 years, more than 10 % of the country’s population has left to work abroad. Despite this fact, the Nepalese gone abroad have acquired special technical skills and trainings. There is a good chance that the surge of highly skilled manpower back to the homeland can trigger the development in a very short period of time.
At present, the remittance has been a major contributing factor for country’s revenue. It contributes to about 31.5% of the Gross Domestic Product (Asian Economic Integration Report,2016). We are among the top in the chart. Remittance has brought about immediate relief to the economic constraints and increased the living standard of the people in a short time. In spite of this, in the national scenario, it has encouraged the people in the homeland to be dependent and its continuation in the long run is not guaranteed. With majority of youths in the country being dependent and remaining working abroad, there has been economic mess inside the nation. Further, there has been increase in investment in non-productive assets that is increasing the liabilities of the country.

 On the bright side, our state can benefit from the remittance. If we use the remittance money in productive assets, it will earn us the foreign currency. In our case, areas having maximum potential are hydropower, agriculture, tourism and service. This will create job opportunities in the country itself. Eventually, trend of flying abroad for work will slow down.
Likewise, with no active manpower at home our country is relying on donations. Donations may be attractive initially, but are ephemeral. There is an old Chinese saying, “Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime.”  Now, there is a choice, whether we want to have development that is constricted and is for limited time; or work hard, producing goods and services, developing the assiduous culture throughout the nation, and bring about the perennial development. Donations provide necessary support, but no country has progressed from the donations only. For example, after the devastation from the Second World War, Germany and other European countries worked persistently to develop their agricultural and industrial sectors which were damaged during the war. This eventually uplifted the countries from the ruins. Currently, these nations are one of the most powerful economies in the world. Thus, having donations for development is good, but relying on donations and expecting it shows our dependency and our incompetency.

Similarly, according to the statistics, about 59.8% people in Nepal are between 15 to 65 year of age (Nepal Demographic Profile,2011). This state of condition is called the demographic dividend and is the golden era for youth action. It is the most suitable time for bringing about economic development in the country. Luring the youths gone abroad; and encouraging the youth in the country to participate in developmental and productive sector will give us the development we want in the near future.

Lastly, youths are impatient and are discouraged if they come across hurdles on their way. To add oil to the fire, our country has a system that is very accustomed to placing hurdles, even though it is not necessary. As there is no culture of respecting the tax providers, the youths find the way to the airport the only reasonable option.  Even though the system is depressing, it is reshaping slowly. As there is a saying, “Rome was not built in a day”, it will take some time for the system to re-institutionalize. Accordingly, youths should, also, develop patience and positivity. Instead of deserting the country, it is best if the youth with leadership stay in the country to lead and bring the change they want; youth with skill stay in the country and produce goods and services; and youth with knowledge stay in the country and train the next generations. This way we can develop a good governance system, cultivate productive economy, and prepare for the future.

Pratik Raj Pahari