Gap Analysis of Ongoing Youth Employment Efforts

There are several ongoing interventions focusing on youth employment in Africa (Section 3) However the problem still persists as evident by the high unemployment and underemployment rates as well as decent work deficits. There are also areas or issues of youth employment where not enough effort has been extended to.

1. Coordination and Synergy Coordination is weak both among national stakeholders and among international and regional partners. Mitigates impact of interventions. 2. Up Scaling Much more needs to be done to ensure that all African youth have the opportunity to be gainfully employed. African economies will need to absorb as many as 7 to 10 million youth into the labor force each year over the next decade. The gravity of the problem requires significant up scaling of proven methods and strategies. From projects to programmes

3. Involvement of the private sector Inadequate use of the value added that comes from private sector involvement. Private sector - engine of job generation with potential to support African governments in implementing sustained and complex interventions. 4. Interventions that address underemployment Few interventions that address poor working conditions, low pay, lack of social protection etc. Targets of most youth employment interventions usually only refer number of jobs and training opportunities created with little attention to the quality and sustainability and vulnerability issues. Policies and strategies are usually designed based only on information on formal unionized workers and jobs

5. Impact assessment and best practices Lack of comprehensive, accessible and aggregate information on youth employment projects and programmes, impacts and lessons learned. Hinders effectiveness and efficiency of youth employment interventions. 6. Resource mobilization The level of financial resources committed to youth employment projects and programmes remain limited given the magnitude of the needs. Capacity to mobilize technical and financial Domestic resource mobilization and corporate social responsibility not well utilized.

7. Cross country interventions or interventions at the sub regional level Very few interventions that address cross country or cross border issues of youth employment. Accelerated rate of regional integration and movement of resources. Portability of training and education certifications, youth labour migration, cross country value chains 8. Demand side interventions Most interventions tend to focus on the supply side constraints of youth employment. Demand side interventions are fewer and tend to be limited to few public work programmes and entrepreneurship development initiatives (Fewer policy level interventions).

1. Coordination and Synergy 2. Up scaling 3. Involvement of the private sector 4. Interventions that address underemployment 5. Impact assessment and best practices 6. Resource mobilization 7. Cross country interventions or interventions at the sub regional level 8. Demand side interventions