Rising NEET Rates And The Countries Where Gen Z Is Being Left Behind

The acronym NEET refers to young people not in education, employment or training. NEET cohorts include both discouraged youth and those actively seeking jobs or education, and can indicate systemic economic problems. NEET rates peaked globally in 2020 as pandemic lockdowns closed schools, slowed hiring, and displaced millions from classrooms and workplaces. Although global NEET rates have fallen below pre-COVID levels, dozens of countries have seen net increases in unengaged youth over the past five years. Rising NEET shares appear in conflict-affected states, middle-income economies with weak labor markets, and some advanced economies facing housing cost pressures, skills mismatches, and policy gaps.

The acronym NEET refers to young people "not in education, employment or training." While the term NEET has come to be associated with modern dropout culture and feelings of discouragement common amongst Gen Z, NEET cohorts also encompass young people who are actively looking for employment and educational opportunities, and can reflect broad systemic economic issues. The share of young people not in education, employment or training crested globally in 2020,

The countries where NEET rates are rising the most represent a diverse mix of economic structures and challenges. In conflict-torn nations like Afghanistan, Syria, and Sudan, violence and instability have forced young people out of schools and jobs, driving NEET rates to some of the highest in the world. In middle-income economies such as Peru, Pakistan, and the Dominican Republic, weak labor markets and slowing growth have left youth unable to transition into stable work.

The share of young people not in education, employment or training crested globally in 2020, when pandemic lockdowns shuttered schools, slowed hiring, and forced millions of young people out of both classrooms and workplaces. While the NEET rate has since fallen well below pre-COVID levels, dozens of countries have reported net increases in the share of unengaged young people over the past five years.

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