OECD Public Governance’s Post

📣 Exciting news on our work on youth in my former team: OECD - OCDE Youth Policy Toolkit just launched! 📚 Extremely proud to be among the authors of this comprehensive guide for designing policies that address the unique challenges faced by young people today; including on inclusion, employment, education, political participation, representation in public life, and intergenerational justice. After months of collecting best practices across OECD countries, and consultations with young people, with my former colleagues at the Youth Empowerment team Léa Aleyna FOURNIER Gamze Igrioglu Prats Pietro Gagliardi Moritz Ader, Miriam Allam as well as colleagues across other OECD directorates, we put together this practical guidance for policymakers but also for CSOs and young people around the world. It's been an absolute pleasure to co-lead this project, and I'm looking forward to see its impact in practice. Check out the interactive website to explore the toolkit and please feel free to share it with your network: https://lnkd.in/eGtvnVbz #YouthEmpowerment #OECD #YouthParticipation #IntergenerationalJustice #CSOs

OECD Youth Policy Toolkit [26 November 2024] https://lnkd.in/gmhZMTnK Young people and future generations face a rapidly changing world shaped by the green and digital transformations, demographic shifts, economic uncertainties, and challenges to democratic governance. The OECD Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People promotes coherent government-wide strategies to improve young people’s lives and empower them in economic, public, and social life. To help policy makers implement the OECD Youth Recommendation, the OECD Youth Policy Toolkit provides practical guidance on designing and executing policies for young people. The Toolkit gathers a range of good practices from all OECD countries, covering policy areas such as education and skills, employment and entrepreneurship, health and social inclusion, participation and representation in public life, and public governance and intergenerational justice. To support inclusive policies, the OECD Youth Policy Toolkit recognises the diverse characteristics among young people across national contexts, including socio-economic status, geographic location, age, gender, race, ethnicity, indigeneity, migrant status, (dis)ability status, and all other identities young people associate with, and their intersections.

🇱🇸 Lesotho’s National Youth Strategy 2024 - 2030: We Want to Hear From YOU!🫵🏾 In collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development and the UNDP, we are developing the first ever National Youth Strategy, with a focus on these key areas: •Employment Creation & Entrepreneurship •Innovation & Technology •Education & Skills Development •Sexuality Education and General Health •Political Inclusion & Civic Engagement •Cross-cutting Issues. We invite the youth of Lesotho to share their insights and experiences. Your voice is essential in shaping a strategy that reflects the real challenges young people face. Participate in the survey here: https://lnkd.in/d_6H-vps Your responses will be confidential. Let’s work together to build a brighter future for Lesotho’s youth! 🇱🇸🇱🇸🇱🇸 #YouthDevelopment #LesothoYouthStrategy #ShapeTheFuture

Here is a piece of social science out of a study that we carried out in Nigeria and 6 other countries in SSA between 2021-2024. In this article, we applied gender lens to shed light on how young women's and men's aspirations and resilience are differently framed and experienced by Nigerian youth + what we may do differently for youth in #programmatic and #advocacy interventions. What did the study find? Young people need enabling systems and youth-centric structures in order to bolster their aspirations and to build #resilience. How do we achieve that? • Promote #gender responsive and youth-centric i.e. 'by youth and for youth' based on gender differentiated needs and interests. • Avail skill-building opportunities to young people. These would include #entrepreneurship vocational training to support their recovery and resilience in the post pandemic era. • Prioritize #equity and inclusion to ensure young people who are affected by intersecting situations such as disability, those lacking formal education, those from ethnic minorities, survivors of violence and those who became parents while young are identified and responded to. • Advocate for equitable access to #credit resources, clean #energy and education, health, empowerment opportunities and other drivers or enablers of resilience. • Promote and provide skills such as #networking, communication, problem solving, and teamwork to bolster young people's confidence and consequent resilience. • Support and encourage positive social norms such as social connections to build social #capital and supportive communities. Thanks to: Daniel Doh Ayobami Ojebode Pauline Ngimwa, PhD. Martin Atela, PhD Babatunde Raphael OJEBUYI, Ph.D. Partnership for African Social & Governance Research (PASGR) Mastercard Foundation Read the full article here:

As the world comes together to celebrate International Youth Day today, the theme—"𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔: 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝑫𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕"—serves as a powerful reminder of the unique position young people hold in shaping a more sustainable future. In an age where digitalization permeates every facet of life, youth are not only avid adopters of technology but also innovators driving change. Digitalization is rapidly transforming our world, providing unparalleled opportunities to accelerate sustainable development. Technologies such as mobile devices, online services, and artificial intelligence are becoming instrumental in pushing forward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals, which include poverty alleviation, quality education, gender equality, and climate action, are fundamental to ensuring a more equitable and sustainable future for generations to come. Young people today are at the forefront of this digital revolution. Their ability to adapt to new technologies and leverage them for social good has the potential to address some of the world's most pressing challenges. For instance, through social media campaigns, mobile apps, and online platforms, youth can raise awareness, mobilize communities, and advocate for change. National Poverty Graduation Programme, is making strides in empowering youth, especially in rural areas, with vital digital skills and other trades trainings . According to Core Outcome Indicator Survey , 15.1% of beneficiaries have been youth engaged in various trades ( impacting a substantial number of 48,952 young individuals). NPGP is not only addressing immediate economic challenges by uplifting rural communities but also building a foundation for sustainable livelihoods through digital skills trainings . IFAD Asia Pacific

Travelling for work, study or leisure? What to know before you go…   ♀Gender gaps deeply impact a countries soul. So how do nations compare?   The Global Gender Gap Index benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity across four key themes (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment). It is the longest-standing index tracking efforts to close these gaps since inception in 2006. The World Economic Forum 18th edition benchmarks parity across 146 economies, analysing development in two-thirds of global economies. It examines a subset of 101 countries included in each edition, through longitudinal and trend analysis. The Index measure scores (0-100) can be interpreted as the distance covered towards parity (i.e. percentage of the gap that has closed). Cross-country comparisons can identify the effective policies closing gender gaps. Reflecting the strengths, weaknesses, and challenges of nations addressing gender parity; the index, in a changing world, provides an analysis across each of the four themes and delivers insights into the culture, priorities and practices of nations.   Uncovering the gender heartbeat of a city can inform your choice of destination. Report available https://lnkd.in/eAawKNWG   Want to know more?   ▶ 97% of the economies included in this edition have closed more than 60% of their gap, compared to 85% in 2006. ▶ Iceland (93.5%) is ranked 1st and, leading the index for over a decade. It continues to be the only economy to have closed over 90% of its gender gap. ▶ European economies occupy seven spots out of the global top 10. In addition to Iceland, these are Finland (87.5%), Norway (87.5%), Sweden (81.6%), Germany (81%), Ireland (80.2%) and Spain (79.7%). ▶ Among the 146 economies covered in the 2024 index, the Health and Survival gender gap has closed by 96%, the Educational Attainment gap by 94.9%, the Economic Participation and Opportunity gap by 60.5%, and the Political Empowerment gap by 22.5%. ▶ The pace of each subindex affects timelines to parity. 2024 results now predict parity in Educational Attainment at 20 years out (+4 years from 2023); Political Empowerment to 169 years out (+7 years from 2023), Economic Participation and Opportunity to 152 years out (-17 years from 2023). The time to close the Health and Survival gender gap remains undefined.   Understanding a countries approach to gender can contribute to your business growth, leisure enjoyment or study success. So, take time to explore… before you explore.   Follow Three degrees of latitude for tips to enhance your overseas experience.   #intled #travel #tourism #studyabroad #gender #IWD2024 #Womensday

BUILDING A BETTER COUNTRY I recently posted a question on Instagram about how we can build a better country, particularly focusing on African nations. The aim was to get different perspectives from ordinary citizens. The responses received were mainly centered on changing the government and educational curriculum. One response touched on the role of the people, but it lacked detail. However, here is my take on the subject: First, let’s break down what a country consists of. A country is a product of its diverse society, which is made up of communities. These communities, in turn, are made up of family units, and families are composed of individuals. Essentially, the culture of a nation reflects the combined cultures of its individuals, families, and communities. That is, if we have dysfunctional families, they will likely lead to dysfunctional communities, which will then create dysfunctional societies, and ultimately a dysfunctional country. Therefore, improving a country is everyone's responsibility—men, women, and children. At the family level, it is crucial to teach children values such as accountability, transparency, integrity, empathy, and cooperation. These values shape community culture, which in turn influences societal culture and, ultimately, the national culture. Women play a crucial role in this process. Research shows that children spend most of their early years under their mothers' guidance. Thus, women are fundamental in shaping future generations and are key to forming strong families,communities, and societies. Their role cannot be neglected in any facet of society. Women must be represented and empowered at all levels for a country to thrive. Governments on the otherhand, should implement policies ensuring equal access to education for all citizens, regardless of gender. This aligns with the theme of #Africa Day 2024, which underscores the importance of education for the continent's development. Together, by focusing on the foundational units of society and ensuring equal educational opportunities, we can build better countries. #buildingbettercountries #theroleofwomen #AfricaDay2024 #Theroleofeducation

In a polarised world where consensus are often complex and rare, youth is an essential agent of change. Their commitment and desire to participate are a source of hope for freer, fairer and more sustainable societies. To achieve this, it is essential to ensure their access to equitable and quality education, which will provide them with the necessary tools to build this future. But while young people's participation in discussion forums is necessary, it is not enough. Unless they are also involved in decision-making, from the local to the global, progress will be limited and probably unfair to this generation of young people who are struggling today to build the world of tomorrow. As Felipe Paullier Olivera & Michelle Muschett of the United Nations argue in Diario EL PAÍS, we need to "combine their capacity for innovation and their interest in participating in formal decision-making processes, the key to meeting the challenges of development and creating new social pacts that revitalise our democracies. [...] The mobilisation of young people around social issues such as climate change or gender inequality shows transformative potential and is a clear example that youth political apathy is a myth. What these figures suggest is the need to transform institutional spaces to ensure meaningful participation, reducing the gap between youth mobilisation and formal participation mechanisms and thereby promoting effective governance. [...] Youth can and should play a leading role in shaping and building our future. We must act in a coherent manner, opening spaces and opportunities for their social, labour and political participation, recognising their voices and contributions for what they are: crucial actors in the future of democracy, just transitions and sustainable development." Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/d_VdXGRh

The Arab world is on the brink of a demographic shift that brings both immense challenges and incredible opportunities. By 2030, the region’s youth population will reach unprecedented levels, and how governments respond now will shape the future for generations to come. Education, financial inclusion, and gender empowerment must be prioritized to unlock the full potential of young people across the region. By aligning education with job market needs, removing barriers to entrepreneurship, and empowering women to fully participate in the workforce, we can lay the foundation for a more inclusive and prosperous future. With bold reforms and a commitment to addressing the root causes of systemic issues, Arab countries have a unique opportunity to transform this youthquake into lasting growth and stability. https://lnkd.in/gGhPrVqV