The UN Secretary-General’s Youth Employment Network Overview United Nations World Bank International Labour Organization

The Youth Employment Network What is it? Joint initiative (UN SG, WB President, ILO DG) to urgently address the world’s major challenge of youth unemployment/underemployment Goal To give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent and productive work

Youth Unemployment/Underemployment – the problem  66 million unemployed youth  Numbers growing especially in developing world  No prospects, no hope  Perpetuates widespread poverty  Frustration & hostility  conflict  A global time-bomb

Youth Employment – the opportunity  Break the poverty cycle  Dissipate conflict by closing the gap  Harness productive capacity of best educated & trained generation ever  Create new markets by raising living standards  Solution is in the global interest

Response of Heads of State and Government Resolved to develop and implement strategies that give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent and productive work ILO, UN & World Bank will assist

How is the Network organized?  Political level : UN SG, WB President, ILO DG High-level panel : 12 eminent persons  Technical level : private sector, civil society, youth representatives  Sectretariat (UN, WB, ILO)  ILO takes the lead in organizing the work of the Network

What has the Network done so far?  Formulated policy recommendations  Disseminated ‘good practice’ information  Launched collaborative youth employment initiatives

The Network’s Policy Recommendations are Based on  A new approach that views youth as an asset, not a problem  A new political commitment by Heads of State and Government to finding decent and productive work for young people everywhere  A new partnership that engages the whole international community in addressing the truly global problem of youth unemployment

Highlights of the Recommendations  Calls for Heads of State and Government to develop national action plans for a decent work strategy for young people  Sets priorities for national action plans:  Employability  Equal opportunities  Entrepreneurship  Employment creation

Highlights of the Recommendations …  Encourages 10 countries to champion this process (by immediately starting to prepare their national action plans)  Requests UN, WB & ILO to provide guidance and technical suport

What the Network will do next  National Action Plans – starting with 10 countries  Model projects – to see what works best  Indicators – to track changes in youth employment

Next steps: Approach  Global strategies  National Action Plans  Draw on all key players  Learn from pilot projects  Share best practices

Next steps: Approach …  Strengthen national capacity  Support local initiatives  Monitor progress  Share lessons learned  Sustainable solution

Role of ILO in YEN  Technical Programme Support for National Action Plans (policy, model projects, capacity building, etc.) Develop indicators & monitor progress  Host the Secretariat Encourage Governments to implement Service, coordinate, advocate  Raise funds for the Network from governments, corporations, foundations

Current ILO Activities  Knowlegde building  Technical services  Advovacy

Current ILO Activities … details  Education & skills  Qualification frameworks  Career guidance  Life-long learning  Job creation  Micro-finance  Youth entrepreneurship  Employment intensive programs

Current ILO Activities … details …  Gender equality promotion  Equal opportunity policies  Life-skills training for young women  Crisis response  Integration of ex-combatants & refugees  Policy analysis & statistics  School-to-work transition  Youth employment indicators

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