2. The Secretary-General’s Youth Employment Network Background to the Youth Employment Network Policy orientations which underpin the Network Contact information

3. Background information on YEN What do you know about the YEN?

4. Secretary-General’s Youth Employment Network A commitment of the Millennium Declaration: Develop and implement strategies that give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent and productive work A global alliance led by the heads of the UN, the World Bank and the ILO Requested the ILO to take the lead in organizing the future work of the YEN and to host a permanent Secretariat

5. The High-Level Panel The Secretary-General: Appointed a High-Level Panel in 2000 and asked them to draw up recommendations by 2001. Invited the panel to continue working in an advisory capacity as a standing panel

6. Objectives of YEN: 1. To formulate a set of recommendations on youth employment 2. To disseminate information on good practice and lessons learned 3. To identify, for implementation with its partners, collaborative youth employment initiatives.

7. The YEN Partners The Network Involves a number of partners and collaborating agencies including the ILO’s social partners, non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and youth groups. Youth Employment Summit Youth Business International UN Habitat International Youth Foundation UNESCO Development Gateway Rotary International International Organization of Employers ICFTU

8. The 3 elements of the Panel’s 2001 Recommendations 1.Puts forward the importance of youth : Youth are an Asset - not a Problem Youth are partners of today - not tomorrow

9. 2. Presents a political process: National reviews and action plans ILO to prepare a global review and evaluation of action plans Suggests “Youth” as integrated concept of employment policies “Lead countries” to take the initiative Panel’s 2001 Recommendations

10. Lead Countries are committed to: YEN has prepared a guidance note for lead countries Political commitment at the highest political level to decent and productive work for young people; Prepare a national review and action plan on youth employment;

11. Lead Countries Contribute to international development cooperation in sharing national experience with other countries and with the international community; Nine countries have stepped forward to volunteer as lead countries for the YEN: -Azerbaijan,-Brazil, -Egypt, -Hungary, -Indonesia, -Iran, -Namibia, -Senegal, -Sri Lanka.

12. 3. Four global priorities for action plans: Employability: invest in education and vocational training Equal opportunities: give young women the same opportunities as young men Entrepreneurship: make it easier to start and run enterprises Employment creation: place employment at the center of macroeconomic policy. Panel’s 2001 Recommendations

13. Cross-cutting issues are: Youth empowerment through organisation of young workers and entrepreneurs HIV/AIDS and youth Youth and conflict

14. UN Resolutions on Promoting Youth Employment (Dec 2002) and Policies and Programmes for Youth (Jan 2004) Takes on board the political process recommended by the High-Level Panel Encourages to develop national reviews and action plans and to involve youth and youth organizations in the process Invites the Youth Employment Network under ILO leadership to carry out global analysis and review – ILC 2005 and Global Employment Report 2005

15. Working Groups In 2002 the High-Level Panel set up working groups on each of the four ‘E’s. Provide policy advice on the four priority areas. Provide guidance for national action plans Support the implementation of policies, programmes and projects on youth employment undertaken by the broader Network's partners

16. 2 nd meeting of the High Level Panel, June 2003 Our challenge now is to move from the excellent policy work that has been done to a new phase of action at the country level. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan The youth around this table are a tremendous resource. Young people are not just leaders for tomorrow, they are partners for today. Engage them. Listen. Build together. Let's get beyond lip service. ILO Director General Juan Somavia

17. Panel’s 2003 Recommendations The Working Group on Employability: Government responsibility Investment in education and training Access to basic education School-to-work transition Relevance to labour market needs Lifelong learning Involving social partners 1. Endorse the outcomes of the Panel’s 4 Working Groups

18. Panel’s 2003 Recommendations The Working Group on Entrepreneurship: Cultural attitudes Regulations Education/training Finance Business Support

19. Panel’s 2003 Recommendations The Working Group on Equal opportunities: Set specific objectives and targets to rectify gender disparities End stereotyping in education and training: Recognize the constraints placed on young women’s productive roles by their reproductive responsibilities: Focus both on equal opportunities and equal treatment: Recognize the value of women’s entrepreneurship Sexual violence

20. Panel’s 2003 Recommendations The Working Group on Employment creation: Employment as an overall objective of economic policy Financial stability to promote employment Open markets for developing countries

21. 2. Encourage governments to translate the recommendations into national action plans. 3. Establish social dialogue for youth employment. 4. Invite youth organisations to play an active role in the Network 5. Mobilize resources for youth employment in committed countries Panel’s 2003 Recommendations

22. Next steps for the Youth Employment Network 1.Strengthening the role of Youth 2.National actions plans to be included in national Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). 3.The role of the High Level Panel in MDG-process

23. Contact details YEN Secretariat The Youth Employment Network Website http://www.ilo.org/yen Secretary for the Youth Employment Network Steven Miller miller@ilo.org miller@ilo.org Senior Policy Advisor on Youth Employment Regina Monticone monticone@ilo.org monticone@ilo.org Communication and Public Information Officer Justin Sykes sykes@ilo.org sykes@ilo.org

24. Contact details ILO - YEN ILO Geneva: Mr. Takafumi Ueda Technical Coordinator on Youth Employment The ILO – Youth Employment Task Team (YETT) YEN’s Focal Point ueda@ilo.org ILO Sub regional Office for East Asia: Ms. Elizabeth Morris Senior Labour Market and Human Resources Policies Specialist morrise@ilo.org Ms. Sara Spant Associate Expert on Employment Promotion Youth Employment Focal Point within ILO Subregional Office East Asia Spant@ilo.org