By 
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has raised the red flag on Zimbabwe warning that the country is missing the opportunity to reap the benefits of the Demographic Dividend (DD).(DD) refers to the temporary economic benefits that can arise from a significant increase in the ratio of working age adults as a result of rapid fertility decline.
Population studies reveal Statistics by UNFPA stating that the country’s population has almost doubled over the span of three decades, rising from 7, 5 million in 1982 to an estimated 16,5 million which, if properly tapped into, can boost the country’s economy.
“The country’s window of opportunity for harnessing the first demographic dividend opened before 1990 and reached a peak in 2013 and is now in the diminishing returns phase,” a UNFPA report observed.
Be that as it may, economic experts and Civil Society Organisations in Zimbabwe have since called on the government to escalate the implementation of policies which target the youth considering the unemployment rate is now at 19% according to Government agency ZIMSTAT.
Part of Labour Disputes Zimstat’s 19% amongst the youth with Unemployment Rate Finding
‘Poverty and unemployment driving many youths to crime including a recent verified story now in the public domain were a teenager confessed to the court he resorted to ‘steal goats’ as a result of unemployment.
UNFPA insightfully reports it established that the expanded national unemployment rate for persons 15 years and above was 48% and was higher for females at 53% and males at 43% with Matebeleland North having the highest expanded unemployment rate of 65%.
15-19 years age group had the highest expanded unemployment rate of 73% with youths between 15 and 24 years having a national expanded unemployment rate of 67% while the national expanded unemployment rate for youths 15-34 years was 58%.
Comments