UN labour agency launches initiative to create a billion jobs for youth world-wide

The United Nations International Labour Office (ILO) and its partners have launched a new initiative to help create one billion jobs world-wide for youth over the next decade.

“Our challenge now is to move from the excellent policy work that has been done to a new phase of action at the country level,” said UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who joined ILO Director-General, Juan Somavia, and other experts in Geneva during a two-day session of a high level panel on youth employment.

The initiative, a so-called five-step road map for national action plans on youth employment, is designed to convert “policy work to action at the country level” and to develop and implement strategies that give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent and productive work.

Noting that young people provided unique expertise and approaches to the matters of concern, Mr. Annan welcomed the active role of youth organizations in the discussion.

ILO is collaborating on this initiative with the UN, the World Bank, youth leaders and other organizations.