Creating Pathways for Youth Employment through Green Transition

January 25, 2026

Photograph of two men in white shirts and hats at an outdoor plumbing workshop booth. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

At a time when youth unemployment in Nepal has reached 12.6 percent, driven largely by limited access to skills training, mentorship, finance, and local support systems, a different story is beginning to take shape in Dhangadhi.

A Local Solution to a National Challenge

Through UNDP’s Green Transition Portfolio, locally led solutions are being piloted to strengthen livelihood systems, environmental sustainability, and institutional resilience—placing youth and women at the centre of inclusive and green economic growth.

Line of people in a bright studio, raising fists in front of them, wearing gloves. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

One such initiative is the Skills and Employment Fair organized by Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City (DSMC) with UNDP support. Now in its second edition, the fair demonstrates how municipal leadership, inter-municipal collaboration, and private-sector engagement can translate policy ambitions into tangible outcomes for communities.

“This is not just a job fair, it is about equipping young people with skills, confidence, and connections—so they can build livelihoods and contribute to their communities.”

Gopal Hamal, Mayor, Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City

From Training to Jobs—Within a Month

This year, the fair is supporting nearly 1,100 young people from 39 local governments across Sudurpaschim Province, offering one month of hands-on, market-relevant training across 29 trades.

Four-photo collage of people weaving radial string art on circular frames outdoors. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

From construction, hospitality, automobile, electrical and mechanical trades to IT, health and beauty, education, cooking, and local handicrafts, the curriculum is designed to respond directly to local labour market demand and value chains.

Beyond technical training, participants receive career counselling, entrepreneurship and business development support, life skills training, employer-led skill assessments, and direct interaction with employers. The result is a clear, time-bound pathway—from learning a skill to securing employment or starting a business.

Person in brown jacket holds a small notebook and a spiral notebook in front of a pale background. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

“This is a comprehensive pathway for young people to learn a new profession within a month and connect directly to jobs or entrepreneurship opportunities. The strong collaboration among local governments makes this model both effective and replicable.”

Vijaya Singh, Assistant Resident Representative, UNDP Nepal.

Women at the Centre, Systems in Motion

One of the most striking aspects of the fair is the strong participation of women across multiple training streams. From handicrafts to hospitality and cooking, women are not only enrolling—but excelling, reflecting the programme’s inclusive design and responsiveness to local labour market realities.

The initiative also reflects systemic thinking in local economic development, linking skills training to broader municipal priorities such as market access, value-chain development, and emerging economic opportunities, including a planned night economy in Dhangadhi. To support this vision, the municipality has invested in six public buses, improving connectivity and enabling producers and traders from across the province to access Dhangadhi’s markets—turning skills into income and training into trade.

Group of people around a craft table with colorful beads and pom-poms. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

“For us, this initiative is about investing in people and building a local economy that works for everyone. By linking skills training with entrepreneurship, market access, and municipal planning, we are creating opportunities that are sustainable, inclusive, and led by our own communities—especially for women and young people.”

Kandakala Kumari Rana, Deputy Mayor, Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City

“Youth employment challenges cannot be addressed in isolation. What we see in Dhangadhi is a locally led, systems-based approach—where skills development is linked to labour market demand, municipal planning, and inclusive economic opportunities. This kind of integrated model offers strong potential for scale, sustainability, and value for money.”

Dharma Swarnakar, Assistant Resident Representative for the Inclusive Growth Portfolio, UNDP Nepal

Line of actors in period costumes posing outdoors under bright daylight. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

Learning, Scaling, and Looking Ahead

UNDP staff visited the fair to engage with participants, observe training delivery, and consult with employers—generating real-time insights to strengthen programme design, adaptive management, and scalability.

Group of people posing under a white canopy at an outdoor event, some wearing traditional attire. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

While still at an early stage, the initiative is already demonstrating how integrated skills development, local government leadership, and private-sector engagement can create pathways for green jobs, stronger community ownership, and environmentally sustainable practices.

“The fair shows how skills training can be linked to wider economic systems,” noted Mariela Atanassova, Portfolio and Dynamic Management Specialist, UNDP Thailand. “It connects youth employment, value chains, and urban development in a way that is both practical and forward-looking.”

Three women weaving wicker lattice structures in a workshop. — Photo: UNDP Nepal

Building Nepal’s Green Future—One Skill at a Time

Through the Green Transition Portfolio, UNDP continues to support locally driven, evidence-based solutions that connect youth employment, green growth, and institutional resilience. Initiatives such as the Skills and Employment Fair in Dhangadhi demonstrate how municipal leadership, partnerships, and targeted investments can deliver scalable impact—supporting Nepal’s transition toward a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable green economy.