5 September 2012: The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has published the 11th issue of its quarterly newsletter, “Making It: Industry for Development.” The theme of this issue is “Youth – Transforming Society,” with featured articles on youth unemployment, entrepreneurship and potential.

An article titled “Youth Unemployment and the Arab Spring” presents three perspectives on the issue of youth unemployment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The article highlights the problem and challenges, such as low capital flows and a growing workforce, and the possibilities and potentials, such as opportunities for women to start their own businesses. It also calls for a reform of the education system and implementation of equal opportunity employment schemes in the private and public sectors.

The issue also features articles on realizing the potential of young people, which outlines keys to effective youth engagement, and youth entrepreneurship in Côte d’Ivoire, which introduces the Youth Business Fund established by UNIDO to grant repayable loans to young entrepreneurs. In a policy brief titled “Climbing the Stairway of Development,” structural change is identified as a key driver of economic growth. The brief underlines the need for effective industrial policies to promote structural change and economic growth.

Another policy brief, titled “Beyond the Millennium Development Goals,” focuses on the post-2015 development agenda and highlights points that should be considered in this agenda, such as the need to address climate change, and to establish indicators that match targets. [Publication: Making It: Industry for Development (#11)]