Young people living in urban slums face several challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying lockouts. School closures are threatening youth skill-building and education, which is likely to exacerbate the disadvantages faced by urban youth living in slums in accessing the labor market. At the same time, lockdowns and the economic impact of the pandemic are disproportionally affecting youth income. As part of the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) study, researchers conducted three rounds of surveys among 780 adolescent boys and girls in three urban slums in Bangladesh. The results showed an increased involvement of out-of-school adolescents in paid work during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those from poor households. However, young people looking for jobs reported a lack of adequate employment, possibly due to business closures and stagnant economic activities.

Authors: Sarah Baird, Jennifer Seager, Salauddin Tauseef and Nicola Jones