TOPIC: Youth Unemployment
WANTED: Your Practical Ideas
Current world population includes an estimated 1.2 billion young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years, which is about 24.7% of the world’s working age population. Worldwide youth unemployment is high, almost three times higher than the adult unemployment rate. With the economic downturn, the worldwide youth unemployment is expected to reach 15% in 2009 (International Labor Organization, 2008). In certain parts of the world, i.e., Sub-Saharan Africa, youth unemployment rates can be as high as 60%. More than one third of the young people in the world are unemployed, have completely given up looking for a job or are working but still living below the $2 a day poverty line (ILO), or have migrated. Young job seekers face increasing difficulties finding work in the current economic scenario.
How can youths be part of the solution?
The Essay Competition 2010 invites youths to share ideas on:
How can you tackle youth unemployment through youth-led solutions?
Please answer both questions:
1. How does youth unemployment affect you, your country, town or local community?
2. What can you do, working together with your peers, to find a sustainable solution for job seekers through youth entrepreneurship? Think specifically about the barriers youths face in the labor market and how to tackle difficulties in accessing capital for business startups.
We encourage you to give concrete examples if you have personal experience as a young entrepreneur and if not share your ideas about how you would go about creating a business/ work opportunities in your local community/ town/ country.
