2016 Making Cents Global Youth Economic Opportunities Summit

Over the next decade, a billion young people will enter the job market. Advancing youth economic inclusion, impact and scale is therefore a global priority. How the international development community meets this challenge will be informed by critical demographic, economic and political shifts, coupled with technological innovations that change the way we learn, communicate and work: Today, nearly half of all youth in developing nations are not engaged in work or study. How do we reach, and create pathways, for young people at the margins? The global economy must create 600 million jobs over the next 10 years – five million jobs each month – to match projected youth employment rates. How will we bridge the gap between the demand for jobs, and job creation? The world of work is changing. What does it mean for young people? How do cross-cutting issues of gender, technology, and conflict impact youth economic opportunities today, and in the next ten years? The 10th Anniversary Global Youth Economic Opportunities Summit offers an important convening space to talk about these challenges, and identify together, how we will tackle them over the next decade. The Summit theme’s focus on results and scale is designed to support technical deep dives, while connecting this work to the big picture—helping youth lead productive, engaged and healthy lives.