UNDP has also said one of the greatest challenges Asia-Pacific countries now face is scaling up and improving the quality of education, health and employment opportunities for its 1.7 billion people under the age of 25, as well as empowering them in decision-making.
UNDP disclosed this challenge at a launch of its new Human Development Report (HDR) on “Shaping the Future: How Changing Demographics Can Power Human Development.”
The programme, organised by UNDP in partnership with the Bangladesh government, was held on Tuesday morning at the capital's Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel.
The report analyses population trends in the Asia-Pacific region, and puts forward a set of long-term strategies for sustainable development.
It also observes that in this region, which is the world's most populous, a great transition is underway.
According to the report: “One-third of youth – around 220 million people in Asia-Pacific – are neither in school nor in the labour market. Directionless, unable to start adult lives, they end up frustrated, their enormous energy and enthusiasm thwarted. Unmet youth expectations can weaken social cohesion and stability.”
At the same time, it said: “The largest shifts are likely still ahead, between 2015 and 2050. By 2050, for the region as a whole, the proportion of children under age 15 will be less than half of what it was in 1950, while the share of people aged 60 and over will be more than three times what it was then.”
The largest proportion of the population will be concentrated in the working-age years.
On the other hand, large numbers of people still scrape by in marginal agriculture or informal and poorly-paid work, even though the quality of employment is an essential element of the demographic dividend, the report added.
The report also pointed out that while labour productivity has risen consistently, along with improving education and investments in technology, labour markets are still not robust enough. Such a situation also leads many workers to migrate and seek jobs elsewhere, a drain on demographic returns.
“Asia and the Pacific will have nearly five billion people by 2050. How countries manage that population will have an impact on their growth,” said UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Director for Asia and the Pacific Haoliang Xu at a press conference after the launch.
“Over the past 65 years, the population in the region has tripled. Some countries have rapidly aged while others have seen a jump in the numbers of working-age people and youth. Our new report suggests how countries can turn these population trends into opportunities for sustainable development,” he added.
“Given the population challenges in Asia-Pacific, we have to be ambitious, innovative, and deliver at scale if we want to end poverty by 2030,” said Haoliang, adding that: “With 58% of the world’s people, our region is key to unlocking a sustainable future.”
“When countries have a greater share of people who can work, save, and pay taxes, they have the potential to transform their economies and power investments in healthcare, education and other building blocks of future prosperity,” said the lead author of the report Thangavel Palanivel.
In response to a query by Dhaka Tribune, UN Resident Coordinator Robert Watkins replied: “Everyone should have access to education, health, and employment service and opportunity. However, when the Peace Accord will be fully implemented, it will help the indigenous people in a broader way to get involved into their demographic development.”
The Peace Accord was signed in 1997 between the Awami League government and an indigenous people's group Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti.
During the launch, the economic affairs advisor to the prime minister of Bangladesh Dr Mashiur Rahman also delivered a speech.