In light of the general and added vulnerability during COVID-19 for Nepali youth, a concentrated effort to gather data about the youth demographic to address youth vulnerability by informing public policy is required. With this aim, Niti Foundation and the ILO commissioned a survey of 2,000 young people between 18 to 40 years of age across Nepal.
While earlier data on youth anxiety is unavailable for longitudinal comparison, an overwhelming proportion of Nepali youth (84%) reported feeling anxious due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent problems they faced, including unemployment. Youth from Karnali Province experienced the greatest anxiety (97%) and ‘severe anxiety’ is felt most by youth who are unemployed but actively looking for work.
