Senegal is one of the youngest countries in the world, with close to 75% of its population below the age of 35 (ANSD, 2020a).
While this demographic trend can potentially drive the country’s economic growth and development, it poses a significant challenge to employment. Youth is particularly vulnerable to unemployment. Young people aged 15 to 34 represent 58.2% of the working-age population, but the majority, 62.3 percent are unemployed. The unemployment rate in 2019 was higher for youth aged 15 to 24 (19.8%) and 25 to 34 (18.2%) than for adults aged 35 to 44 (13%) (ANSD, 2022b).
PEP is partnering with the Mastercard Foundation for a three-year initiative on “What Works for Youth Employment in Africa.” It aims to provide evidence that can drive policy reform to increase youth employment in ten African countries.
