Understanding the factors associated with youths’ NEET status in humanitarian settings in Bangladesh

Countries with a high proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) experience substantial loss of potential productivity and economic growth. In Bangladesh, 34.3% of the youth population is classified as NEET, with higher prevalence in humanitarian settings where host and Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) coexist. This study provides one of the largest comparative analyses of NEET young people across host and displaced youth in a protracted humanitarian setting. It investigates factors associated with NEET status among young people aged 14–25 years (inclusive) in Cox’s Bazar. A cross-sectional survey of 22,114 youths from Teknaf Upazila, collected during August-November 2024, was used to identify factors associated with youth NEET status. The descriptive analysis showed higher NEET rates among FDMN youths (66.6%) compared to hosts (43.7%), and a pronounced gender divide between women (72.8%) and men (19.6%). These disparities reflect structural constraints in the surveyed area, including legally restricted formal employment and schooling for FDMN populations. In addition, these intersect with gender norms which limit young women’s economic participation. Regression analysis indicated that higher levels of educational attainment were significantly associated with lower NEET prevalence and reduced gender disparities. Vocational training was associated with a reduced likelihood of being NEET among women but not men. However, despite the substantial data set, given the cross-sectional nature of the data, these findings are associative and cannot imply causality. Findings underscore the need for targeted secondary education and gender-responsive training initiatives tailored to both FDMN and host youths to address community and gender-based inequalities in labour market participation.