In many IDA countries, young people make up more than half of the population. In Africa and South Asia, the regions with the largest number of IDA countries, youth already make up about half of the population. This demographic shift presents both a challenge and an unprecedented opportunity. If empowered with the right skills, jobs, and digital tools, today’s youth can become the engine of economic transformation, climate resilience, and social change in the future. Besides being beneficiaries of development, young people are also the architects of tomorrow’s world.

Jobs are the best way to end poverty and give people hope, dignity, and a better future. That’s why the World Bank Group is changing the way we do things—ensuring that all our operations have a clear line of sight to employment. With more than a billion young people entering the labor market in the next decade, the world needs more jobs than ever before.