20 February 2019: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) has published a report that explores the role of youth in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other related frameworks such as the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) on financing for development (FfD) and the World Programme of Action for Youth.

Titled, ‘World Youth Report: Youth and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,’ the publication focuses on education and employment, emphasizing that the achievement of SDG 4 (quality education) and 8 (decent work and economic growth) is key for the development of the “largest generation of youth that the world has seen.”

About 156 million youth in LMICs are working poor.

In addition to education and employment, the report also addresses issues related to other SDGs, such as gender equality (SDG 5), good health (SDG 3), reducing inequality (SDG 10), combating poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2), action on environmental issues (SDGs 14 and 15), and climate change (SDG 13). The publication analyzes how evidence-based youth policies can help accelerate youth-related objectives.

The report finds that disparities within and between countries in education and employment among youth “are stark, with gender, poverty, rurality, disability, and migrant/refugee status all being major elements of disadvantage.” The data show that about 156 million youth in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are working poor and almost 30% of the poorest 12 to 14-year old have never attended school.

The publication identifies key elements that help ensure an effective youth policy, including: providing political leadership and strategic vision; securing adequate budget and resource allocations; using timely and accurate data on the situation of young people; utilizing the knowledge, experience and expertise of young people in the design, implementation and evaluation of the youth policy; mainstreaming and integrating youth policies across sectors; taking into account the linkages and impacts of policy objectives; and developing a transparent monitoring and accountability framework. [Publication: Youth and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development] [Executive Summary] [Publication Landing Page] [UN Press Release] [DESA Press Release]