Youth is a crucial time of life when young people start realizing their aspirations,
assuming their economic independence and finding their place in society. The global jobs
crisis has exacerbated the vulnerability of young people in terms of: i) higher
unemployment, ii) lower quality jobs for those who find work, iii) greater labour market
inequalities among different groups of young people, iv) longer and more insecure schoolto-work
transitions, and v) increased detachment from the labour market.
In June 2012, the International Labour Conference of the ILO resolved to take urgent
action to tackle the unprecedented youth employment crisis through a multi-pronged
approach geared towards pro-employment growth and decent job creation. The resolution
“The youth employment crisis: A call for action” contains a set of conclusions that
constitute a blueprint for shaping national strategies for youth employment.1
It calls for
increased coherence of policies and action on youth employment across the multilateral
system. In parallel, the UN Secretary-General highlighted youth as one of the five
generational imperatives to be addressed through the mobilization of all the human,
financial and political resources available to the United Nations (UN). As part of this
agenda, the UN has developed a System-wide Action Plan on Youth, with youth
employment as one of the main priorities, to strengthen youth programmes across the UN
system.