Unemployment Fueling Mental Health Crisis among ‘Working Age’ Ugandans

By Noah Owomugisha

Whereas Uganda has a very young population and has more than half of its people in the working age, reports indicate high mental health issues. There is an increase in substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, loneliness, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD).

The following factors are some of the causes of mental illness: unemployment, the impact of COVID-19 (32% mental disorders reported by Ministry of Health in 2022), substance use, political insecurity, poverty and many others.

The 25% increase in the mental health challenges from 2020 to 2024 as the Ministry of Health reported, places the economy at stake as the 15-64 age group, which is a vibrant working age is mostly affected.

Unemployment, as one of the reasons for the increased substance and depression, reduces productivity, which has a negative impact on revenue. The difficulties in searching for jobs leave the number of the 15-64 years (working age) population in a state of loneliness and hopelessness.

This has forced a number of them into risky behaviors and has resulted in mental illness and negative impact. The increase in the outpatient cases in mental health-related issues at Butabika National Referral Mental Health Hospital of 125162 in a period of four years, as the Director, Dr. Juliet Nakku, explained, should worry everyone in this country.

Although this is attributed to substance and alcohol, unemployment and poverty, less has been done to address this pressing matter that put the future generation at risk. The government and all stakeholders need to address the increased abuse of drugs like alcohol and unemployment among the youth.

There has been an increase in cases of substance and alcohol abuse among the educated youth who are unemployed. The 2024 NPHC reported 12% of Ugandans having probable mental health challenges, and 18.4% of the population reported experiencing mental health disorders.

The report revealed that more than 5 million have mental issues. With 50.5% of its population under the age of (0-17), 22.7% between the ages of 18 and 30, and only 5% categorized as elderly (65+), Uganda is clearly a nation of youth.

Most notably, the census indicated that 55.5% of the population is within the working age range of 14 to 64 years. While these census figures suggested immense potential for economic growth, the reality paints a more complex picture of unemployment, labor underutilization, and missed opportunities.

The census report revealed unemployment for people 15 years and above at 12.3 percent and a significant proportion of this unemployment among the youth and 15-24 year age group not in employment, education or training (NEET) at 42.6%.

The census report, too, highlighted high unemployment rate among women (14.5%) as compared to men (10.7%). This 42.6% NEET should be a point of concern to government and stakeholders. Unemployment has a great contribution to high mental related issues like depression.

Questions then arise: why is such a large working-age population not fully engaged in productive employment? What structural factors are preventing Uganda from harnessing this “demographic dividend” for its own development? And how prepared is Uganda to contribute not only to its own labor market but also to the global workforce?

A young population presents an opportunity for rapid economic development that is only if the right investments are made in education, skills development, and job creation. The “demographic dividend” is the economic growth potential that arises when a country has more working-age individuals than dependents (children and the elderly).

In theory, this should be Uganda’s moment, however, the preparedness of the population is still an unsolved puzzle. It cannot be harnessed by having just a big working age, it is achieved if the working age is employed, saving and investing.

It should be noted that the 2021 National Labour Force Survey data shows that unemployment stood at 12%, meaning approximately 3.04 million people of working age don’t have jobs. The situation is even worse when considering underemployment, with the rate of labor underutilization rising from 35% in 2016 to 42% in 2021. Uganda Bureau of Statistics revealed youth unemployment to be at 13% in 2023.

Many young people are either working in low paying, insecure jobs or are not fully using their skills and qualifications in their current positions.

This poses a lot of frustration, especially for the people who have gone through schools and have acquired degrees, diplomas, and certificates from different institutions; this increases the rate of depression and anxiety. Compounding this problem is the exportation of low-skilled labor, particularly in the form of domestic workers. Many Ugandans have resorted to looking for employment from Arab countries, especially in the Middle East, with a lot of fraud and conmen in between.

This escalates the rate of frustration and stress that drain many. Reports indicate that Uganda exports around 2,000 maids per month, mainly to the Middle East, with the number peaking at 24,000 annually as of 2022. In the first four months of 2021 alone, 17,000 Ugandan women sought employment as domestic workers abroad.

These figures are troubling because they represent a workforce that is largely unskilled, unprotected, and vulnerable to exploitation. It is estimated that each year, up to 80,000 Ugandans travel to the Middle East for domestic work.

The trends have changed so much that even degree holders are going for housekeeping jobs to earn a living. There are a number of untold and undocumented stories that have increased su!cide rates and a lot of brokenness among the people, especially the youth, hence resorting to substance and alcohol abuse.

This increases mental disorders and reduced productivity hence reduced economic development. All these stresses and unfulfilled expectations cause many to go in the Arab countries to look for employment. They are also associated with increased the rate of alcohol and substance use due to the stress. After a painful sacrifice in education, unemployment and poverty increase the rate of mental health challenges.

The writer is a research fellow at the Population and Social Development Institute (PSDI), a Kampala-based think-tank