Joop Theunissen Focal Point on Youth UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

This presentation The challenge of youth employment Action for youth employment: the Youth Employment Network

The Challenge of Youth Employment

Why is YE so important? Youth is a period of transition and vulnerability Vulnerability appears to increase with globalization and increased competition, everywhere Long periods of unemployment have a lasting impact on youth: –Individual level: self-esteem, respect, sense of achievement –Societal: integration, cohesiveness, citizenship

The Present 88 million young people out of work 59 million kids (17-19) in hazardous work Youth are 41 percent of all unemployed Youth unemployment 2-3 times higher than average unemployment Source: ILO Key Indicators of the Labour Market, Figures for

The Best-Educated Generation Ever!* Yet… still large differences globally: 130 million children not in school 133 million youth are illiterate Large gender differences Large differences between groups of countries *(And healthiest ever too.)

Education in developing countries % Reach Grade 5 Enrolment in secondary school, M-F Adult literacy rate, M-F Sub-Saharan Africa Middle East / North Africa South Asia World average

Educational inequalities in developed countries We can measure and compare the educational “baggage” of young people: Reading literacy of 15 year-olds Math literacy of 15 year-olds Science literacy of 15 year-olds Math achievement of 8 th graders Science achievement of 8 th graders

An educational achievement league of 24 rich countries The Top 5 Other countries 1 Republic of Korea France Japan USA Finland Germany Canada Spain Australia Italy 20.2 The table shows average ranks of all five measures. Source: UNICEF Innocenti Report Card No 4, November 2002.

The Future Over 1 billion young people in need of jobs every 10 years = 100 million jobs a year 130 million kids not in school now -> what will they be in 10 years? (Importance of MDGs) More unemployed young people in urban areas with little hope for decent work Globalization –> increased competition between young people in more countries?

2. The Youth Employment Network (YEN)

A little history Millennium Report of the Secretary-General, 2000: The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Goal 8. Developing global partnerships for development, including a network to address decent and productive work for young people A high-level panel of advisers to the Secretary-General with support of three organizations: World Bank, ILO and UN

YEN’s 4 E’s to address youth unemployment 1. Employability – investing in education 2. Equal opportunities – for men and women 3. Entrepreneurship – start and run businesses 4. Employment creation – as part of macroeconomic policy

The First E. Employability Definition: a key outcome of education and training to instill skills, knowledge and competencies of workers Definition: a key outcome of education and training to instill skills, knowledge and competencies of workers Reality: high cost of investment, skills mismatch Reality: high cost of investment, skills mismatch Invest in life skills, life-long learning, ICT, entrepreneurship, SSEs in and out of school Invest in life skills, life-long learning, ICT, entrepreneurship, SSEs in and out of school

The Second E. Equal opportunities for young men and women Before school: equal access and entry for boys and girls Before school: equal access and entry for boys and girls In school: “tracking” out of TVE, career guidance, double burdens, cultural barriers, gender stereotyping, harassment In school: “tracking” out of TVE, career guidance, double burdens, cultural barriers, gender stereotyping, harassment After school: credit access, lower skills After school: credit access, lower skills In the job: discrimination in pay, training, promotion In the job: discrimination in pay, training, promotion

The Third E. Entrepreneurship Cultural attitudes: negative perceptions of entrepreneurship, corruption, social entrepreneurship Cultural attitudes: negative perceptions of entrepreneurship, corruption, social entrepreneurship Education: a system that stimulates entrepreneurial spirit, teachers’ training Education: a system that stimulates entrepreneurial spirit, teachers’ training Skills training: career training, ICT Skills training: career training, ICT Business support: skills and services to run your own firm Business support: skills and services to run your own firm Regulation: taxes, laws and burocracy Regulation: taxes, laws and burocracy Finance: youth as risky investments Finance: youth as risky investments

The Fouth E. Employment creation Yes, it is the economy that creates jobs! Yes, it is the economy that creates jobs! Labour market policies Labour market policies Macro-economic policies Macro-economic policies Exchange rate policies Exchange rate policies Sectoral policies Sectoral policies External economic shocks, disasters and wars External economic shocks, disasters and wars Institutional support for youth employment: governance, national employment strategy, monitoring Institutional support for youth employment: governance, national employment strategy, monitoring

What’s next: National action plans for youth employment by March 2004 Mobilizing financial resources for youth employment Linking youth employment with education Expanding on youth participation in policy and action: “No decision making without youth participating”

Unemployment is the problem. Youth are the solution.

Thank you!