The poverty trap: Leveling the playing field for young people

Family plays a critical role in young people’s lives and is key in determining the conditions under which young people make important transitions to adulthood. This brief examines the impact of family-level poverty on the educational attainment, economic activity, and marriage patterns of Pakistani youth, and shows how strongly socioeconomic status shapes the lives of future generations. More young people aged 15–24 live in Pakistan now than at any other time in its history—an estimated 36 million in 2004. Recognizing the dearth of information on the situation of this large group of young people, the Population Council undertook a nationally representative survey from October 2001 to March 2002. The analysis presented in this brief comes from Adolescents and Youth in Pakistan 2001–02: A Nationally Representative Survey—the largest such survey focusing on young people. The survey sought information from youth aged 15–24, responsible adults in the household, and other community members in 254 communities. A total of 6,585 households were visited and 8,074 young people were interviewed