Youth Economic empowerment

More than 2.9 billion people – nearly half the world’s population – are under the age of 25. Supporting young people to build the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life is essential to break the cycles of poverty and inequality. 

Access to decent work allows young people, including those most disadvantaged, to unlock their potential and drive sustainable, inclusive development in their communities. 

Yet today, some 500 million young people in the developing world are un- or under-employed. The situation is particularly difficult for women and girls, who face even greater challenges in securing productive and fulfilling employment than their male counterparts. 

We are determined to change this. Plan International supports youth economic empowerment in more than40 countries worldwide, with 11 projects funded by the European Commission. Across all our work, we focus on equipping girls and young women with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to lead their futures. 

Our calls to the EU

• Bearing in mind the scale and urgency of the problem, the EU should develop a dedicated policy on youth economic empowerment to support partner countries. This would allow EU external action to ensure young people have the opportunities to gain the skills and qualifications they need to succeed in the world of work;  
• EU action must promote women’s and girls’ rights and gender equality, with specific measures to expand access to the labour market, finance and economic assets, in line with the EU Action Plan on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality; 
• The EU should strengthen cooperation among Member States, sharing best practices and scaling up effective initiatives;  
• Through funding and dialogue, the EU should work with partner governments, to create real pathways to decent work and equip young people with appropriate skills.