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Youth

Bridging the Digital Divide: CPD Emphasizes Access to Modern Technology for Youth

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

To mitigate unemployment, drive economic growth, and promote social inclusion, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) emphasized the importance of providing young people with the tools to participate in the digital world. Highlighting the need to address the broader digital divide, CPD advocated for facilitating digital inclusion for marginalized groups through affordable internet access, digital literacy initiatives, and meaningful opportunities in the digital economy. This discussion took place at a conference on 'Youth's Perspectives on Reforms: Employment, Health and Technology' in Bangladesh.

Key Takeaways:

  • CPD emphasized the need to equip young people with modern technology to take the nation forward by facing upcoming challenges, with a focus on technical education for expatriate workers.
  • Foqoruddin Al Kabir, CPD Senior Research Associate, highlighted the importance of addressing the digital gender divide by removing barriers to connectivity and equipping women and girls with digital skills.
  • NSDP was formulated to develop human capital and align workforce skills with the rapidly evolving economy.
  • Bangladesh must adopt strategies to capitalize on the demographic dividend, with one-fourth (1/4) of the population aged 15-29 and an average age of 27 (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2022).
  • Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hossain urged youth to take technical education to improve their employability.
  • CPD Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun presided over the session, ensuring the discussion focused on youth's perspectives on reforms.
  • Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Shikho Shahir Chowdhury, Co-Founder and CEO of the ShareTrip Limited Sadia Haque, and other experts participated in the discussion on employment and technology.

Statistics:

  • One-fourth of Bangladesh's population is aged 15-29.
  • The country has a youth population of 45.9 million, which is approximately 28% of the total population.
  • The average age of Bangladesh's population is 27 years (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2022).
  • The demographic dividend is expected to peak in the coming decades.

Sources:

  • Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)
  • United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022)

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