MEXICO CITY, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Strengthening the education system and encouraging young people to join the formal market would help reduce poverty in Mexico, said a leading development organization on Sunday.
Education is key to shaping individuals with the knowledge to succeed in the labor market, Mexico's National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL) said in its Evaluation Report of Social Development Policy 2018.
Mexico's young population, aged between 12 and 29, represent 30.6 percent of the country's population and is equivalent to 37.5 million people, CONEVAL stated on Sunday's International Youth Day.
In 2016, 44.3 percent of young Mexicans lived in a state of poverty, and more than half of young people did not have enough monthly income to cover basic needs. In 2017, 59.9 percent of employed young people were in informal employment, according to the organization.
Between 2008 and 2016, Mexico saw a reduction in the amount of young people in extreme poverty, falling from 10.1 percent to 7.3 percent.
"The demographic change in Mexico brings opportunities and challenges, among which is the provision of quality education to young people," said the report.
Among CONEVAL's recommendations were the improving of technical schools to offer greater social mobility and continuing work with the National Strategy for the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy so that young people could remain in education.
