Climate Risk Impacts on Employment Opportunities for Youth in Pakistan: A survey report

Pakistan faces a high level of disaster risk due to its exposure to a variety of natural and climate-related hazards including earthquakes, floods, landslides, storms and extreme temperatures (WBG & ADB, 2021). Research pertaining to the impact of these hazards on youths’ access and participation in the labour market is limited. This study aims to understand how climate-related risks and hazards are reshaping traditional avenues of job entry and employment, particularly for young people in Pakistan. Based on the findings, recommendations are made on how social protection programmes could support the youth of Pakistan to navigate the changing nature of the labour market. Social protection interventions can help individuals to cope with the risks they face over their lifetime, such as unemployment or disability. One element of this support is improving employment and livelihood outcomes (McCord, 2018).

This brief is aimed at policymakers, academia, international/non-governmental organizations (I/NGOs) and civil society groups, who can use these messages to develop and implement youth-focused programmes to address climate hazards; enhance research and evidence-building on the differentiated needs of youth groups; and eventually improve services to adapt to the youth-specific covariate risks posed by climate-related hazards.