Meet the “nem-nem” generation

A person who is “nem-nem” is neither in full-time education, nor employment (“nem estuda, nem trabalha”, in portuguese). Known as NEETs in the United Kingdom, the U.S. and much of East Asia, this demographic is not necessarily made up of lazy or unproductive individuals. In fact, they are often the byproduct of a poor economic circumstances. Brazil has roughly 11 million “nem-nems” aged between 15 to 24, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. That is more than the entire population of Portugal. This is a global trend. But while Covid-19 is aggravating the situation, nem-nems and NEETs have been around long before the current health crisis. To know more about nem-nems, check our new video.