WHY
More than 1.4 billion people currently live in areas affected by protracted conflicts and complex emergencies, which often extend over many years and significantly erode development gains. Under these circumstances, young people may be out of school or college and engage in jobs that are informal, unstable, underpaid, or even high-risk and harmful. In extreme cases, they leave their homes in search of safety and a better life and risk becoming victims of trafficking or exploitation.
HOW
Decent Jobs for Youth is focused on expanding the evidence base about what works to support youth in fragile situations. The findings will be used to develop guidance on promoting youth employment in fragile situations, which will in turn allow our partners to launch tailored interventions at country and regional level. Particular emphasis will be placed on empowering youth through innovative use of technology, from promoting skills development and employment creation through cash transfers (especially mobile money), to jobs in service provision and recovery, and enterprise and cooperative development. These efforts are aligned with the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation, 2017 (No. 205).
WHO
The ILO and UNDP lead this thematic priority. Decent Jobs for Youth brings together a growing number of partners who are committed to empowering youth in fragile situations and expanding their access to decent work.
Connecting conflict-affected youth to online work
Providing up to 500 conflict-affected persons in the Balkans and the Middle East with access to remote online work in the field of AI annotation by 2022. A total number of 400 young people will be provided with dignified jobs, at least 50% of whom will be women.
Coping with youth unemployment in North Macedonia
The ultimate goal of the commitment is supporting the development of evidence-based national policies and strategies to improve young people’s access to decent jobs. Research on young people’s position in the labour market in North Macedonia will be conducted. This includes an examination of the micro and macro determinants that lead to youth unemployment and underemployment. Research findings will provide evidence-based policy recommendations. Through direct contact with the national policymakers and dissemination activities, the issue of youth unemployment will be put on their agenda and will raise public awareness on the importance of mitigating negative consequences of youth employment challenges.