Youth Unemployment & Underemployment
A Crisis That Cannot Be Ignored
In Uganda today, millions of young people are jobless, underpaid, or stuck in survival-mode hustles that don’t reflect their skills, education, or potential. This isn’t just an economic issue—it’s a national emergency.
The Reality:
- Youth unemployment (ages 18–30) stands at 16.1%, and it’s worse for young women at 18.7%.
- Over 5 million youth are not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
- Only 12.9% of university graduates get formal jobs—most end up in informal work, unpaid internships, or nothing at all.
Many of us are told to “create jobs,” but without access to capital, training, land, or networks, we’re set up to fail. Rural youth suffer the most, cut off from job markets and programs concentrated in urban centers. Even those who hustle—boda riders, market vendors, or online sellers—face daily exploitation, harassment, and unstable incomes.
Why It Matters:
Unemployment fuels:
- Hopelessness and mental health issues
- Drug abuse, crime, and migration
- Lost dreams of young people with skills, degrees, and ideas
We didn’t choose this system—it failed us.