This brief outlines the elements of the improved apprenticeship model developed by Global Communities in the construction sector in Ghana and examines its effectiveness as an avenue to provide skills training to disadvantaged youth, facilitate their entry into employment, and provide some lessons learned.
This report assesses the damaging impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on youth employment in Asia and the Pacific and recommends critical policy responses.
The knowledge brief describes Global Communities' approach to implementing sustainable workforce development interventions at scale that targeted the informal construction sector. It outlines the key elements of the approach, assesses whether there are early signs of sustainability, and presents some recommendations.
Digital technologies can facilitate new opportunities and create challenges for the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sectors. This report provides a global, high-level snapshot of the digitalization of TVET and skills systems in a set of countries and international organizations.
The emergence of the platform or gig economy is a major trend. These changes will affect the organisation of employment relationships, job profiles and the requisite skills. This paper analyses six studies that have addressed these issues, while focusing on aspects with a bearing on TVET.
In October 2018, the South African government held a high-profile Jobs Summit. In addition to acknowledging the challenges of the high South African unemployment rates overall, President Ramaphosa mentioned the importance of job creation for youth (15 – 34 years old) and women specifically. Statistics South Africa Quarterly Labour Force Survey (2018) showed that unemployment rates amongst young people have reached 39.3%. The figure is even higher for young black African women who are attempting to enter the labour market (45.9%).
As countries develop, agriculture’s role as domestic employer declines. But the broader agri-food system also expands, and the scope for agriculture-related job creation shifts beyond the farm. This paper elaborates on these trends and reviews several policy options, including inclusive value chain development, better immigration policies, social insurance schemes, and ramp-up in agricultural education and extension.
This brief examines how the World Bank’s ‘Gaza Emergency Cash for Work and Self-Employment Support’ project supports NGOs that are connecting unemployed youth with online work opportunities. The project will help fund skills training and digital job support to 750 youth (including 375 young women). The brief highlights challenges facing young women in the West Bank and Gaza – who experience high unemployment rates – and the strategies used to encourage their program participation and empower them to engage in e-work.
This brief examines how the World Bank’s ‘E-Commerce for Women-Led SMEs’ project addresses the constraints faced by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) run or managed by women operating in Algeria; Djibouti, the Arab Republic of Egypt; Jordan; Lebanon; Morocco; and Tunisia. It highlights how the World Bank seeks to support women-led SMEs (WSMEs) in the Middle East North Africa region (MENA) in accessing global markets through e-commerce platforms, and the strategies used to help WSMEs access financial resources, develop capacity, and increase sales.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) joins together cities from across the world around the common objective of harnessing the potential of culture and creativity for a sustainable future. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people everywhere, and the culture sector has in many ways come to a standstill – cultural events, cinema, theatre and music performances have been cancelled, international tourism has largely ceased, restaurants and markets have closed, amongst others. This has not only impacted the sectors concerned, but also the public, which tends to turn to cultural products and services for education, entertainment, leisure, personal development, or social engagement. While this undoubtably has a serious impact on the economic viability of the cultural sector, the sector's fundamental creativity and ability to inspire social connection remains intact. The information submitted by over 90 Creative Cities from 44 UNESCO Member States shows how cities have come together to nurture new ideas and projects by connecting people to culture and creativity during the pandemic.
Supported by Gates Foundation, the report examines the market of tech-enabled career products that have emerged to help provide better career navigation and guidance. It also looks the potential of scaling guidance using online platforms, apps, gamified assessments, and multimedia.
This Note unveils the underappreciated role of women in small-scale fisheries. Despite rising international recognition, women's catches remain overlooked. The research estimates millions of women participate, catching nearly 11% of the total small-scale haul, valued at billions of dollars. These catches not only feed families but also fuel local economies, highlighting the critical yet invisible role women play in global fisheries.
This Short Note talks about how the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA Ghana), and Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO Global) trained about 100 leaders of waste pickers and collectors groups in Accra and Tema on best waste management practices and procedures to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection.
This information aims to provide a diagnosis of the current global situation of waste pickers - informal waste workers that provide a waste management service and contribute to public health and sustainability but lack social and health protection. The following information was sourced from our members on the ground, and we hope will help inform and prioritize lines of action aimed at solving the urgent needs of the waste management system’s most vulnerable actors.
This video discusses what a circular economy is and its benefits. In a circular economy, products and materials are kept in use for longer by repairing, reusing, and recycling them. This contrasts with our current linear economy, which throws things away after use. A circular economy is better for the environment, reduces pollution, and conserves resources.
Every year, 25 million young people in Africa enter the labor market, more than half of them (14 million) in rural areas. By the year 2030, 320 million new jobs will need to be created, which makes Rural Youth Employment one of the most pressing and challenging topics, but also presents an enormous opportunity for economic development in capitalizing on this “youth dividend”. This report aims at highlighting good practices and lessons from GIZ programs on rural youth employment.
This toolkit provides advice for young women who could become digital professionals and employers struggling to fill the job openings in their companies. The focus is on young women that are
Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEETs) – hence they face various risks, problems, and negative orientations.
With rapid technological growth, there is an increased opportunity to better link digital finance and business platforms for young entrepreneurs, especially in developing countries. This report provides trends related to youth entrepreneurship and financial inclusion in South Asia and South East Asia based on results from Findex and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) survey data and qualitative insights from an online survey of 64 young entrepreneurs.
The objectives of this study were to (i) assess the participation of youth in fisheries and aquaculture, including opportunities and challenges for participation, (ii) understand what WorldFish and key partners (government organizations, nongovernmental organizations [NGOs] and others) are doing in the focal countries in relation to youth participation, and (iii) provide potential areas for further research that could support improved youth participation in aquaculture, small-scale fisheries, and value chains.
This report seeks to contribute to understanding how youth social entrepreneurship can both support youth development and help accelerate the implementation of the SDGs. To do so, the report synthesizes the current discussion on social entrepreneurship and anchors it in the context of the 2030 Agenda. The report then turns toward the youth situation and examines whether social entrepreneurship can offer employment opportunities and support other elements of youth development, such as youth participation.
