 Creating conditions for decent livelihoods will be an enormous task, especially given that, currently, about 80 per cent of the people who work in these countries are unemployed, underemployed or irregularly employed.Additionally, the shortage of financial resources will make it difficult to maintain, let alone increase, spending on health, education and nutrition.”

Therefore, in order to reap the benefits of a demographic dividend, countries must recognize and cultivate the potential of young people and close the gap between the demands placed on young people and the opportunities provided to them.East Asia provides some of the most compelling evidence to date of the demographic dividend.