About 20 percent of South Asia’s population is between 15 and 24, 30 percent are illiterate and they account for half of the unemployed in the region.

The World Bank is meeting with youth across South Asia to understand changing demographics in the region and development challenges in their home countries.

“Supporting young people’s transition to adulthood poses important opportunities and risky challenges for development policy. Are education systems preparing young people to cope with the demands of changing economies?” the World Bank said in a statement on Tuesday.

“What kind of support do they get as they enter the labour market? Can they move freely to where the jobs are? What can be done to help them avoid serious consequences of risky behaviour, such as death from HIV-AIDS and drug abuse? Can their creative energy be directed productively to support development thinking?”

The Bank’s development Report for 2007 will focus on youth issues – learning for life and work, staying healthy, working, forming families and exercising citizenship.

“For each, there are opportunities and risks; for all, policies and institutions matter,” the Bank said. The report will build on ongoing consultations with South Asia’s youth.

In Sri Lanka 29 percent of 20 million people are young, 32 percent in India – 200 million people, and 39 percent in Bangladesh.

Youth also dominate the working age group in South Asia, but they are also six times more likely to be jobless than older people, the Bank said.

“One reason for such large unemployment rates is because formal job growth hasn't kept up with economic growth in most countries. Lack of job opportunities for young people constrains further economic growth for South Asian countries.”

Another reason is a mismatch in skills between those demanded by employers and those acquired in school.

South Asia also has the largest gender gap in literacy in the world, with 62 percent of females able to read and write to 77 percent of men.

Exploitation and trafficking of young girls, especially from poor homes and rural areas, is also widespread. “Little is known about the extent of this problem and its social and economic costs.”

Knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases and safe reproductive health is also poor among youth in the region and high risk behaviour is rampant.

Half of all HIV infections are believed to be in the 15 to 24 age group, with 40 percent having unprotected sex, and half of all abortions performed in unsafe conditions.

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