YOUTH EMPLOYMENT : Current trends and policy responses What’s Next – Next steps in successful child and youth care 13 Oct. 2016, Haarlem
“Youth” • 15 to 24 years old; other definitions may apply • 1.2 billion people in the world, with around 89% in developing countries • A heterogeneous group • Vulnerable youth ?
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Youth employment trends
• The global youth unemployment is on the rise after several years of improvement • Job quality remains a major concern for youth
• Persistent gender gaps undermine social progress • Progress in terms of educational attainment, but a growing share of NEET
• Increased willingness to migrate
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Youth unemployment
Unemployment rate, 2007–17 (percentages) 2007–14
Unemployed youth, 2015–17 (millions)
2015
2016
2017
2015
2016
2017
12.9
13.1
13.1
70.5
71.0
71.0
Developed countries
15.0
14.5
14.3
10.2
9.8
9.6
Emerging countries
13.3
13.6
13.7
52.9
53.5
53.5
Developing countries
9.4
9.5
9.4
7.4
7.7
7.9
World
Source: WESO, Trends for Youth 2016
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Youth-to-adult unemployment
Source: WESO, Trends for Youth 2016
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Gender gaps in youth unemployment
Source: WESO, Trends for Youth 2016
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Working poverty 70
Extreme poverty
Moderate poverty
50 40 30 20 10
Central and Western Asia
.
Latin America and the Caribbean
.
Eastern Asia
.
Northern Africa
.
SouthEastern Asia and the Pacific
.
Total emerging and developing
.
Arab States
.
Southern Asia
.
Adult
Youth
Adult
Youth
Adult
Youth
Adult
Youth
Adult
Youth
Adult
Youth
Adult
Youth
Adult
Adult
Youth
0 Youth
Working poverty rate (%)
60
SubSaharan Africa
Source: WESO, Trends for Youth 2016
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Youth labour force participation
Source: WESO, Trends for Youth 2016
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Early school leavers • Are generally at greater risk of remaining outside the world of work altogether • Generally less likely that their more-educated counterparts to secure stable jobs • Take longer to find first jobs • Are more likely to be unpaid family workers
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Adolescents in hazardous work
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Promoting decent work for all
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Youth transition to decent work • ILO’s Call for Action on youth employment (2012): – Needed: a more comprehensive framework, providing social protection, economic security and equal opportunities – A well balanced policy mix addressing both labour market demand and supply – Context-specific, integrated, and well-coordinated interventions
– Youth are part of the solution 12
Youth employment - Policy options Economic and employment policies Labour market policies Skills and employability
Youth entrepreneurship Rights at work
What works: WWINYE platform 13
A reality check • YE remains a political priority but insufficient action • National development priority may not revert into sustained investments in YE • In many cases priority is operationalized with interventions that are limited in both time and scope • Responsibility for operationalizing YE is often entrusted to a few (and often not linked) line ministries • Relative youth labour market disadvantage gets diluted into overall employment issues
Ways forward • Filling knowledge gaps • Building an enabling environment – Legislation – Comprehensive policy frameworks – National budgets – Social dialogue; coordination; youth participation • Forging partnerships (UN System and beyond) for effective implementation – UNDAF – Agenda 2030 – Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth 15
For more information
Youth Employment Programme (YEP) Unit Employment Policy Department International Labour Office Web: www.ilo.org/yep Email: youth@ilo.org
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