UNICEF: Central Asia Can Lift GDP 14% by Investing in Kids

Central Asian countries could raise their GDP per capita by 6-14 per cent above current projections by 2050 if they dramatically scale up investments in children’s health, education, and development, according to UNICEF’s new report Generation 2050: Investing in Tomorrow, Today.

With over half of the region’s population under 30, the report warns that Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are not fully capitalizing on their demographic potential, The Caspian Post informs via Tajik media.

Nearly two-thirds of the projected economic gains would come from a healthier, better educated, and more productive workforce.

UNICEF cautions that without immediate, sustained action, the region risks losing a rare demographic window as Central Asia’s population is set to grow by more than 30 million by 2050, with the share of working-age adults peaking within 15 years.

Today, children across Central Asia are expected to achieve only 50-60 per cent of their full productive potential due to gaps in education and healthcare, according to the World Bank. As populations begin to age after 2040, the opportunity to benefit from a demographic dividend could rapidly fade.

Beyond economic growth, the report stresses the societal impact of investing in youth-from stronger social cohesion and gender equality to greater resilience against climate change, migration, and fast-paced urbanization. Already, 15 million children in the region face significant climate-related risks.

UNICEF’s roadmap outlines cost-effective steps to transform outcomes for young people, including:

Ensuring universal early childhood development and quality schooling

Expanding essential health and nutrition services

Strengthening child and social protection systems

Equipping youth with green and digital economy skills

Investing in safe water, sanitation, and climate-resilient infrastructure

The report also calls for stronger regional cooperation, emphasizing that shared labor markets, environmental challenges, and demographic trends connect the futures of all five Central Asian nations.

UNICEF’s central message is clear: investing in children today is not only the right thing to do-it is a powerful economic strategy for long-term regional stability and prosperity.