Abstract:
Youth aged 15 to 24 play a vital role in economic transformation, yet high youth
unemployment in Sri Lanka worsens poverty, reduces productivity, and increases
social costs. Despite a 4.7% unemployment rate, skill-job mismatches limit
employment opportunities. The research problem examines how youth
unemployment contributes to poverty in Galenbindunuwewa, identifying socio
economic factors that exacerbate the issue. The objective is to examine the impact of
youth unemployment on poverty in Galenbindunuwewa, Sri Lanka. It seeks to
identify socio-economic factors such as educational attainment, skill mismatches, and
limited local opportunities, and assess their role in exacerbating poverty. This study
adopts a mixed-methods approach, collecting primary data from 100 households
through structured questionnaires and secondary data from reports. Quantitative data
were analyzed using statistics, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis.
The research found that youth unemployment in the region is driven by low
educational attainment, skill mismatches, and limited local economic opportunities.
These factors lead to high unemployment, reduced income, increased dependency
ratios, and worsening poverty, exacerbated by a lack of vocational training aligned
with market demands. The study emphasizes that limited local economic
opportunities, lack of industries, and reliance on agriculture push youth to migrate,
depleting the workforce. The mismatch between youth skills and job market demands
perpetuates unemployment, contributing to the ongoing poverty cycle in the region.
The study suggests that vocational training, improved educational infrastructure, and
local economic development initiatives can reduce youth unemployment. Tailored
vocational programs would equip youth with relevant skills, while local development
efforts can create jobs, reduce migration, and encourage youth to stay, alleviating
poverty. Based on the results, youth unemployment in Galenbindunuwewa drives
poverty, worsened by factors such as inadequate education, skill mismatches, and
limited local opportunities. Targeted interventions, including vocational training,
education reforms, and economic development, are crucial for sustainable
development.
