GDP for Fiji for the year 2014 showed an increase of 5.3 per cent over 2013.
The International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) latest figure released on youth unemployment in 2015, showed that worldwide unemployment rate among 15-24 year olds was at 74 million and is set to rise.
In January 2013, it was announced that Fiji recorded 11,860 unemployed youths. Out of this, 5309 were males and 6551 were females.
Most of the unemployed resided in the Central/Eastern Division recording a total of 5532 and is followed by the Western Division with 4529 and with 1799 in the Northern Division.
In 2012, the Ministry of Youth and Sports was created and is currently assisting youths who are unable to further their studies in tertiary institutes.
The Ministry conducts trainings to augment youth’s potentials to be more productive in society and have a successful future.
The Ministry under the National Youth Policy which came into effect in 2011 was to “provide an enabling environment where youth development is mainstreamed into the various focal areas of national development”.

Employment Centre
The National Employment Centre [NEC] under the Ministry of Labour was also established which assists the unemployed find employment by providing training on relevant employment skills that is demanded by the market.
A way to combat urban migration drift is to concentrate on rural areas, particularly focussing on agriculture and other livelihood activities that will generate employment opportunities.
This is acutely needed to retain them from migrating to urban areas.

What unemployment does
Youth unemployment hinders economic development and economic growth.
Most university graduates are unable to find a job and their knowledge and capabilities into producing innovation leads to decreased productivity, gross domestic product and economic growth.
Long term unemployment for young people can also scar them for life; can be unemployed for life, lower earnings, social exclusion, can cause skill erosion, lead to increase in crime rate (theft, burglaries and drug offences) and so on.
The negative consequence of youth unemployment should be reduced as much as possible by properly integrating them into the labour market.
Understanding the fact that having so many unemployed youths does not only bring personal struggles to them but impacts the society as a whole and poses a threat to the economic welfare of Fiji.
nThis is an informative publication, sponsored by The Fiji Sun, Fiji Bureau of Statistics and HFC Bank. All views expressed or implied are purely of the Treasurer at the HFC Bank, Peter Fuata.