Young ‘Ninis’: the phenomenon that affects almost 1 out of every 3 young people in Colombia

At the crossroads between the aspirations of a youth eager to conquer the world and the shadows of overwhelming unemployment is a term that evokes both concern and challenge: that of the “young Ninis”. The term refers to the young women and men who do not work, nor study.

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In Colombia’s economic and social scenario, DANE reports that in 2023 there were 2.6 million young people neither studying nor working, which has triggered a domino effect that affects not only their individual lives, but the nation as a whole.

So, while the country harbors dreams and talent, it also endures a silent and growing loss. We delve into the enigma of the young ‘Ninis’, and explore their impact on Colombia’s economy, society and future.

Colombia at the Top of ‘Ninis’ in Latin America

In the latest report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Colombia is only surpassed by Turkey in the number of young ‘Ninis’, which has 28.7%, with a difference of 1 percentage point with respect to Colombia’s 27.7%.

Among Latin American countries that are part of the OECD, Colombia occupies the dishonorable first place.

According to the measurement, behind Colombia is Costa Rica, which has a percentage of ‘Ninis’ of 25.9% and occupies fourth place in the OECD. It is followed by Chile in fifth place, with 23.4%, and Mexico in seventh place with 20.9%.

Young ‘Ninis’ in Colombia do not stop increasing in absolute terms and their percentage has also been increasing over time. In 2015, according to a study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), entitled “Jobs to grow”, in the country there were 24% of ‘Ninis’, less than what the OECD registers today. Although the figures of the different entities do not fully coincide, they do warn about the seriousness of the phenomenon.

In addition, the reality of the growth of ‘Ninis’ particularly affects women. According to DANE, in its report on the second quarter of 2023, the population of young people between 15 and 28 years old who were neither studying nor employed was 2.6 million people.

This figure represented 23.5% of the people of working age for that age range. Of this 23.5%, 7.8% were men and 15.6% were women, reflecting the enormous gender disparity.

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Youth unemployment

According to the study “Global Employment Trends for Youth 2022: Investing in Transforming Futures for Young People”, by the International Labor Organization (ILO), youth unemployment in Latin America reached an average of 20.5% with the pandemic, while in North America it barely reached 8.3%.

The same ILO points out that Arab countries have the highest growth in youth unemployment, which reached 24.8% in 2022, a percentage lower than that of Colombia.

Young ‘Ninis’: a reality that must change

Colombian youth are not finding enough job options, precisely when they are at the best time to develop their labor potential. At the same time, the country’s educational system is weak, the dropout rate is high and it does not offer employment alternatives.

This explains the large number of young people who seek to emigrate and, although it is not the only cause, has a bearing on the increase in insecurity and violence of all kinds.

The main wealth of a country is its people and wasting the productive capacity of its youth represents an enormous loss of wealth.

Other factors such as low income, increasing poverty, isolation in rural areas, displacement and the lack of effective public policies and strategies by the National Government directly affect the working and educational life of young Colombians.

Latin America has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world and this explains to a large extent the backwardness of its productive capacity.

Youth unemployment and the growth of the ‘Ninis’ was strongly increased during the pandemic, and the effect of economic stimuli and the reactivation of the world economy has not been felt strongly enough on young people.

What can be done to reduce the number of young ‘Ninis’?

To reduce the percentage of young ‘Ninis’, the ILO recommends the promotion of digital education and the extension of health and education services, which could have a particular impact on youth.

In Colombia, the recovery of agricultural and industrial production can be the basis for an extension of the services area and for the promotion of digitalization, which can be a complement to the strengthening of real production.

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