The Explorer: Journal of Social Sciences

ISSN: 2411-0132, Vol-1, Issue (1):25-28

www.theexplorerpak.org

SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROBLEMS FACED BY YOUTH DUE TO UNEMPLOYMENT IN

RAWALPINDI
Nadia Ilyas
Department of Anthropology PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
Corresponding Author:
Nadia Ilyas
PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
nadiailyas37@gmail.com
Abstract: Unemployment is one of the dilemmas that have entangled the Pakistani society. Its negative impact on the
economic development of a country is undeniable. It hinders the economic growth by squandering the abilities of
youth. The research aims to identify the social and psychological effects of unemployment on the youth. It also
examines the response of their families towards them and the consequent problems being faced by the unemployed
youth. The area of the research was Faisal Colony in Rawalpindi, from where a sample of one hundred and five was
selected by using purposive sampling technique. The research sheds light on diverse repercussions of unemployment
on the individual and family level such as skill deterioration, reduced self-esteem, confidence and disturbance in familial
life.

Key Words: Unemployment, Social effects, Psychological effects, Youth

INTRODUCTION
Pakistan is a developing country and is currently
passing through many financial and economic
crises. Poverty and unemployment has been
steadily increasing. Unemployment leads to scaring
effects i.e. permanent increase in the level of
psychological distress, decrease in future wage,
slow career progress and decrease in physical
health (Reynolds 2012). At global level,
unemployment is a manifestation of structural
challenges. There is an increasing gap between
education, skills and jobs (Dhillon and Yousef 2012).
Lorenzini and Giugni (2010) stated that social
isolation is also one of the reasons of
unemployment as it gradually makes a decrease in
social contacts and collective participation of a
person due to which he becomes psychologically
depressed and feels loneliness. As it is often seen
that mental and psychological health is adversely
affected and the person becomes so pessimistic
that either he attempts suicide or indulge himself in
negative activities that destroys life. Indeed an
individuals self-esteem is negatively affected and
feels himself as a burden on family and society. The
individual considers himself a useless person who
has been termed as incapable of doing anything for
the society.
Indeed the research threw light on all those social,
economic, personal and psychological problems
that are directly or indirectly related to
unemployment. Unemployment not only affects an
individuals life but it has an adverse impact on the
whole economy of the nation. In addition society

can also become a prey to unemployment because

people without any work can create many
problems for the people of specific society. The fear
of becoming unemployed in the future lowers a
persons subjective wellbeing. Being jobless injures
self-esteem and fosters feelings of externality
helplessness among youth.
Morin and Kochhar (2010) stated that a survey
found; unemployment often weakened ties to
family and friends at perhaps a time when the
unemployed most needed support. Those who have
been jobless for long duration are significantly
more pessimistic than the short term unemployed
about their chances of finding a job as good as the
one they lost.
Lorenzini and Giugni (2010) in their research work
stated that in particular it can be shown that
unemployment leads to financial distress where
unemployed face risks of depression, stress and
harassment. According to (Mitchell 2012) sustained
unemployment imposes significant economic,
personal and social effects that include loss of
current output, social exclusion and the loss of
skills, psychological harm including increased
suicide rates, ill health and reduced life expectancy,
loss of motivation, the undermining of human
relations and family life, racial and gender
inequality, and loss of social values and
responsibility.
While comparing employed and unemployed
people it is observed that jobless persons seemed
to be less satisfied, have poor mental and physical
health and also having family conflicts or disputes
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more than the employed one. According to (Gu,l et

al. 2012) the private and social effects of
unemployment include rigorous financial suffering,
poverty, debt, homelessness and housing stress,
family tensions and breakdown, boredom,
alienation, shame and stigma, increased social
isolation, crime, erosion of confidence and selfesteem. Most of these increases with the elongated
duration of unemployment.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The area of the research was Faisal Colony Chaklala
Rawalpindi. It is located near Benazir International
airport. A sample of 105 households was selected
for the study through using purposive sampling
technique. The sample included both males and
females. Different data collection methods included
interviews, questionnaire, key informant method,
and census survey.
RESULTS AND DICUSSION
The major purpose of the study was to identify the
social and economic problems that are to be faced
by youth due to unemployment. Unemployment is
deadly in its effects. Unemployment not only
affects an individuals personal life but overall the
whole society has to suffer and also an entire
economy of the nation is destroyed to some extent.
It breaks down morale, destroys courage,
confidence and ambition, and finally leads to
poverty. An individual's social life is adversely
affected due to unemployment.
Majority of the youth being interviewed was
desired of having a government job, some wanted a
job that must be related to their degree or field of
study while mostly preferred salary over everything
because they argued that 10 to 20,000 salary was
not enough to fulfill their expenses. It was also
observed that most of the people were doing a job
that was not related to their field. One of the male
respondents 30 years old argued that he spent an
ample of money for his studies and got a degree
from an abroad country but still he was
unemployed, and his mother also seemed to be
tense because her son was married and she was
worried about the future life of her son.
On the other hand some respondents told that they
often left some availed chances of jobs as the salary
didnt match their expenses. While females were
mostly interested in a kind of job which provides
them a safe and secure environment to work. One
of the female respondents said that she wanted to
have a job but she was restricted by her father who
would decide that what kind of job would be
suitable for her. Moreover, most of the
respondents shared that they face embarrassment
and disgrace at the hands of their family and
relatives for being unemployed.

An individual faces a lot of problems personally due

to unemployment. These problems could be
multifaceted including social, economic and
psychological. Anxiety, depression, frustration,
mental agony, social isolation, oversleeping, anger,
over sensitivity and other behavioral disorders are
various social and psychological issues recounted by
the respondents. (Nazir, et al. 2009) stated that
unemployed often suffer hopelessness, desperation
and indifferences. Inferiority complex, over
expectation and frustration is arising among young
generation because every person wanted to have a
high standard designation in order to enjoy all the
luxuries of life due to which competition is arising
among them and everyone tries to defeat the other
person to get his satisfaction of life.
Deterioration of Skills
According to the respondents, skills and working
capabilities are negatively affected when a person
remained unemployed for a long period of time.
Economic pressures and social responsibilities leads
to underemployment which is again an
underutilization of skills and knowledge of person.
Table. 1: Deterioration of Skills due to Unemployment
Response
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Not Sure
Disagree
Total

Frequency

Percent

18

32.7%

31

56.4%

1.8%

9.1%

55

100.0%

Reduction of Self-esteem
The respondents shared that their self-esteem is
lowered because of joblessness. The individuals feel
themselves as useless and unimportant and the
negative response of the family aggravates this
feeling. Research has shown that unemployed
people suffer substantially poorer mental and
physical health. Economic dependency and
humiliation leads to negative self-esteem.
Reduction of self-esteem during unemployment
Table. 2: Reduction of Self-esteem during
Unemployment
Response

Frequency

Percentage

Strongly Agree

13

23.6%

Agree

17

30.9%

Not Sure

12.7%

Disagree

18

32.7%

Total

55

100.0%

Family Pressure
The respondents shared their view that education is
a means for social mobility and economic
prosperity for the common masses. Once they have
completed their graduate studies, most of young
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individuals are expected to be the bread earners for

the family. The economic resources of the middle
and lower-middle class families are exhausted in
education of their children, so, they are naturally
expected to give economic support to their
families. But owing to less income opportunities
now-a-days they are unable to fulfill this
expectation. Consequently they become dependent
on their family for their economic needs.
The respondents shared that usually a person
becomes irresponsible when he remained
unemployed for a long period of time due to which
family disputes arose as during the research some
of the respondents seemed to be free from any
kind of responsibility while their parents looked
troubled and angry due to such situation and
irresponsible behavior of their children.
The respondents also shared their views about the
factors of high unemployment rate in the country.
According to them the government has been
incapable to accommodate this huge influx of
graduates every year into the job market.
Favoritism and nepotism are the biggest hurdles
and the job placements take place on reference
basis. Previous job experience to get hired is yet
another
obstacle
for
fresh/inexperienced
candidates in getting jobs.
According to the respondents unemployment is an
economic as well as a social problem that not only
affects an individuals life but it also has an impact
on the society and the economy of the concerned
nation. As (Mitchells 2012) research showed that
consistent unemployment has significant economic
and social effects that include loss of current output
and social exclusion as well as increase in suicide
rates, the undermining of human relations and loss
of social responsibility. The current study
investigated the social and economic problems
which showed that due to financial crises and
political instability the economy is weakened. While
at the societal level the crime rate increases among
the unemployed youth and they tend to be
involved in other negative activities which not only
disturbs an individuals personal life but also
generate problems for the family and society.
Various negative behaviors develop or adopted
during unemployment phase like increase in crime
rate, drug use, suicide attempt, family disputes etc.
Different crimes like dishonesty, fraud. Harris and
Mar 2001) in his study concluded that joblessness is
accompanied by negative lifestyle such as use of
alcohol, nicotine and other substances. As this is
obvious from the research work done by (Ahmad
and Azim 2010) that described the unwillingness
of youth to participate in economic activities
and majority of young people use to wander
around and waste their time without being

involved in any productive activity. Indeed

working capability and aptitudes are reduced
during unemployment which is an alarming and
risky sign for the future life of a person. So it was
concluded that unemployment not only influences
a persons present life but it can also negatively
affects his future life.
Through the whole discussion and results it can be
said that unemployment is not an individual's
problem but it is a serious and severe issue for the
whole country and the economy. Although many
research works and surveys have been conducted
over this problem but the need is to find out a
solution by taking proper measures and remedies.
CONCLUSION
As the specific study was conducted in order to
investigate the social and economic problems or
issues that are being faced by youth due to
unemployment or underemployment. After
meeting young people and knowing their
perceptions and ideas it was concluded that on an
economic level, it is a big loss to the nation if the
young people are not playing their due role in the
economic sector. Moreover another big problem
for young graduates in Pakistan is the prerequisite
of job experience. Young graduates fail to fulfill this
criteria as the internship opportunities are also
limited. The university students mostly lack certain
technical and professional skills required to get
jobs. They lack proper training and thus cannot
compete in the job market. They are disillusioned
with their society. Coupled with this they have to
face ill treatment from their family and relatives
that exacerbates their social and psychological
position. The most vehement outcry of youth was
that they have to bear a negative attitude from the
people around them because society has certain
expectations which they have to fulfill. This attitude
sometimes make them irresponsible and careless
about everything. However, youth having moral
and encouraging support from the families were
much satisfied and promising as compared to those
who didnt have any kind of encouragement or
help.
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Yousef
2012
Addressing the 100 Million Youth
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2015 The Explorer Journal of Social Sciences-Pakistan

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