Despite the role that girls and women play in driving economic growth being widely acknowledged, it seems in practice, development programmes haven’t kept pace.
My name is Matthew French and I work for JBS International, Inc. This blog draws upon research conducted under contract with USAID’s office of Education (read the full youth engagement report here), as well as my own experiences working with young people.
Education and work in the Middle East and North Africa region will determine the livelihoods of over 300 million people and drive growth and development for generations to come. As one of the youngest populations in the world, it is imperative that the region make adequate investments in education and learning that hold value in the labour market and prepare citizens for the world of tomorrow. In addition, as the global transformation of work unfolds in the region, policymakers, business leaders and workers must be prepared to proactively manage this period of transition.
This study provides a new lens for understanding labor market information systems (LMIS) and offers guidance for the focus and sequencing of investments in their development.
Young people today make up the largest youth population in history. Their successes and struggles are as diverse as their personalities and aspirations.
However, in all corners of the globe, this generation faces a common challenge: persistent youth unemployment. Left unaddressed, the consequences reverberate across our cities. When young people don’t see or have a sustainable economic path, our families and communities also suffer. In fact, the futures of cities are intrinsically tied to the economic success of young people.
The SDGs build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and aim to go further to end all forms of poverty. The new Goals are unique in that they call for action by all countries - regardless of income - to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and addresses a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.
Meeting the needs of the global youth population requires evidence-based, scalable, and sustainable initiatives. In response, Making Cents International offers a demand-driven Knowledge Management (KM) platform that builds the capacity of youth development stakeholders to design, implement, and evaluate high-impact youth economic opportunity programs, policies, and partnerships. The platform components are:
The Government of the Republic of South Africa, The Commonwealth Secretariat, University of South Africa (UNISA), National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) of South Africa
The labor market assessment guide will assist users to analyze employment and workforce development in a given country for project design and policymaking. An introductory narrative will characterize existing frameworks and information useful for a labor market analysis.
Following the introduction, the guide will consist of modules to:
This early stage diagnostic and strategic planning guide is meant to help policy-makers, educators and industry stakeholders understand how competitiveness and workforce development are linked in a sector, with a focus on industry clusters and competitiveness. The guide presents the diagnostic as a four-stage process: Explore, Examine, Envision, and Engage.
