ISLAMABAD: Unemployment rate in Pakistan was estimated to be 11.7 per cent for the age group 15-19 years during 2013-14, revealed a government report.

The age-specific joblessness was even higher in age group of 20-34, the report said, adding that the average youth employment ratio was over 10pc compared to the overall projected unemployment rate of 6pc.

“Even those who work, do so in unpaid jobs. If paid, they are less likely to access social security,” it said.

The report was prepared by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics after conducting a survey across the country, including federally administered tribal areas (Fata). In all, 41,484 households were surveyed in rural and urban areas.

The comparative age specific unemployment rates in teens (13-19) and those who are in early forties (40-44) are on the rise, while that of twenties to thirties (20-39) and latter forties and above (45+) show slight decline during the period.

Gender-specific rates make a mixed pattern of change down the age groupings though rates of males are more in sync with the overall rates as compared to those of females. Joblessness in females is on higher side in early 20s to early 30s (20-34), ranging between 10pc and 14pc.

Based on the survey, the report said that unemployment slightly fell to 6pc in 2013-14 from 6.2pc a year ago. The figure is estimated at 8pc in urban areas and 5pc in rural areas.

The volume of unemployed people fell by 150,000 to 3.58 million in 2013-14 from 3.73m in 2012-13. The number increased in Punjab and Balochistan, while it receded in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The labour force participation rate was estimated to be 35.3, 52.3, 58.1, and 60.4pc, respectively, among age groups 15-19, 20-24, 25-29 and 30-34 years. The national labour force participation rate is estimated at 32.3pc.

Province-wise labour force participation rate shows that Punjab (35.7pc) and Sindh (30.5pc) follow the national pattern, while KP (25pc) and Balochistan (25.3pc) are at lower end.

The total number of the employed increased to 56.52m in 2013-14 from 56.01m, a rise of 0.51m people. The volume of labour force increased in the case of Punjab (1.02m) and Balochistan (0.26m), while decreased in Sindh (0.56m) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (0.23m).

Further analysis shows that employees constitute the largest group (39.1pc) followed by own account workers (35.4pc), contributing family workers (24.4pc) and employers (1.1pc).

More than half of female workers toil as contributing family workers (55pc), while near seven-eight of males are own account workers (45.5pc), and employees (43pc). An increase was witnessed in share of employees and own account workers while contributing family workers and employers trend down, according to the survey 2013-14.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2015

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