Creating youth employment

Apr 22, 2014 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
The importance of youth employment is underscored by the fact that all the issues affecting youth rest fundamentally on their lack of assets or material means. Their housing status rests on it; their health status depends on it; the concept they have of themselves, and the level of their independence, indeed their very ability to exercise their rights as human beings depends on their access to assets, as described above.
Therefore, youth employment must be given priority and full attention. Actions to create youth employment must ensure that:
a) Employment opportunities for youth are flexible, especially for those most at risk;
b) Working conditions are decent for all young people and in accordance with the national and international labour laws and ILO standards.
c) Employment policies must ensure that jobs are meaningful, contributing to creation of more just and sustainable communities, and to reinforce young people’s self-esteem and self worth.
d) An action on youth employment needs to be integrated as a central plot form for achieving poverty reduction.
e) Youth employment poverty reduction strategies should especially focus on young women, indigenous populations and the rural youth, as those most marginalised within the current economic system.
f) Governments must address the needs of young people to achieve gender equity and ethnic balance for a better empowerment of youth.
Finally, opportunities must be created and sustained so that the youth can participate in the fair trade movement, and further develop open trading and financial systems that are rule-based, predictable and non-discriminatory; and there is partnership between young people, the public and private sectors.
Ivan Bentham
Chairman of the Achievers Youth Development Association

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