IsDB Youth Development Strategy

The Youth Development Strategy (YDS) is the first strategy of IsDB on youth development from 2020 to 2025. The YDS has two objectives to support young people to be: (i) productive and economically empowered; and (ii) engaged and responsible, to embody and embrace leadership.

The Strategy has three pillars on Education, Economic Empowerment, and Engagement, which aim to empower youth to take action in supporting their communities. The economic empowerment pillar aims at unleashing youth’s potential by providing them with sustainable and decent employment, supporting their savings and investments, and developing their skills in entrepreneurship and employment.

Entity

Islamic Development Bank Other regional or multilateral organization

Technical assistance, expertise and implementation; Financial and/or in-kind contribution

Sustainable Development Goals & targets

4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
8.b By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization

Themes

Green jobs for youth
Digital skills for youth
Youth entrepreneurship and self-employment

description

An extensive Youth Development Action Plan (YDAP) has been developed and rolled out to operationalize the objectives and three pillars of the Youth Development Strategy. With regards to the Economic Empowerment pillar, the YDAP intends to contribute to decent jobs for youth through the following actions:

Supporting its member countries by financing value chain programs that will create jobs for youth and ensure their participation in these value chains. In addition, through incorporating targets for youth employment, the Bank’s projects will be designed in a way that responds to the needs of youth.
Increasing youth access to financial services through leveraging Islamic finance for economic empowerment. The Bank will continue developing programs that increase youth access to finance and strengthen the technical skills of local microfinance institutions in financial and non-financial services, including providing youth with the services that meet their specific needs.
Facilitating the creation of employment opportunities for youth through entrepreneurship, Islamic financial, and green economy. The Bank will promote job creation for youth through small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) development and catalyzing private sector investments that support job creation and employment opportunities for young women and men.
Supporting the establishment of business incubators and business development centers through Technical Assistance.
Crowdsourcing relevant Bank projects/tasks/initiatives for youth in the Member Countries through online platforms

https://www.isdb.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2020-02/The%20IsDB%20Youth%20Development%20Strategy.pdf

Deliverables and links to SDG targets

Young people trained in relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, ICT skills and soft skills

4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

The number of young people (15-35-year-old) who attended training activities. Specifically, it measures youth attending skill training related to life transferable skills, employability skills, employment skills (skilling, re-skilling, upskilling), TVET programs, entrepreneurial skills, in addition to internships and on-the-job training programs.

BY: Dec 2025
Jobs created for young people, including through subsidized employment and entrepreneurship

8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training

The number of all job opportunities created by the Bank's projects, programs and initiatives for which young people (18-35) were hired. This includes all types of employment whether direct or indirect through self-employment and start-ups supported by the Bank.

BY: Dec 2025
Young people supported through entrepreneurship training, advisory services, access to markets or access to finance

8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

The number of young people who received credits and other financial services due to the Bank's efforts in MCs, specifically Islamic financial services and products. This can be a result of the Bank's collaboration and support to other financial institutions at the local or regional levels.

BY: Dec 2025

Start

01-Jan-2020

End

31-Dec-2025

Target: Only young people 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-35

Primarily:

Young people in urban areas
Young people in rural areas
Young women
Young men
Youth with disabilities
Young people with low levels of education and/or drop-outs
Graduates of second-level education and students in third-level education or beyond

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