Global Department for Social Development CHANGE - MAKERS: EMPOWERING YOUTH FOR INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES Executive Summary Sonya M. Sultan  ·  Sabina A. Espinoza  ·  Shughla Hellali W orldwide, the year 2024 has already seen several large-scale youth protests—a reminder, if one was needed, that youth want to be heard, want change, The World Bank’s (WB) new mission statement (2023) puts youth at the forefront of successful development, committing to track impact for young people through and have the power to bring it about. The status quo a new corporate scorecard (2024). For youth to offers them scant hope for the future. They are willing to achieve their full potential and lead lives of dignity and organize and protest to bring about changes not just for opportunity, they need to participate and engage in all themselves, but also for society at large. They are leading spheres of life—including economic activity, access to the fight for more accountable governments, more quality social services, and cultural and political spaces. peaceful and just societies, asking for opportunities for They are looking for opportunities to chart their own the many, not just the few. The question, therefore, for paths and make their own choices, in a world where development agencies is how to support and engage the life trajectories of previous generations are no with youth and remain relevant in the future they are longer available, because of climate change, conflict, envisioning. technological change, or job markets that do not generate Change-Makers: Empowering youth for inclusive societies Executive Summary October 2024 © World Bank enough jobs for the large number of youth coming of age the empowerment of youth. The review of global literature in the coming decades. reveals three fundamental principles: (i) interventions that seek to promote jobs and economic empowerment Life for all young people (across all income groups and in of youth are more effective when they account for the most countries) is becoming more uncertain. Yet, there specific barriers and circumstances that young people are large segments of the youth population globally that face; (ii) voice and agency are crucial, the more so because face systemic disadvantages in accessing or participating young people today face challenges that are not easily in existing economic markets, social services, and political solved by conventional development initiatives focused spaces. Twenty percent of youth globally are currently on education or jobs alone; and (iii) young people can— neither in education nor employed (NEET), of whom and must be enabled to—catalyze greater cohesion and two thirds are young women. Approximately 85 percent development for their communities. of the world’s youth reside in low- and middle-income countries and 600 million young people are living in The operational review analyzed Bank operations fragile or conflict-affected settings (Selva and Negro, 2021). focusing on youth over the past 20 years and identifies Independently of, or in addition to their poverty status or good practices that apply these principles across sectors location, certain youth are at greater risk of exclusion and regions. In doing so, it highlights the significant due to social identities such as gender, ethnicity, sexual operational knowledge on this subject at the Bank and orientation, disability status, religion, migrant status, and identifies recurring challenges, including balancing the race, among others. opportunity to reach large numbers of young people with reaching the most excluded youth. It unpacks how teams This paper presents a review of global evidence and World have resolved these tensions and opportunities for scaling Bank operational experience and distills lessons to support up good practices. Change-Makers: Empowering youth for inclusive societies Executive Summary October 2024 The paper offers six main recommendations for while preparing young people for the future. development practitioners: Governments can support youth to stay engaged with their communities in a positive way, give them 1. Design tailored, comprehensive support programs a sense of purpose, and build their skills for future for youth at risk of exclusion. This recommendation endeavors. Strategies include youth empowerment is a key part of the ‘leave no one behind’ agenda of the programs, volunteer initiatives, arts and sports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Not all young interventions, and youth leadership focused projects people face the same challenges: gender, ethnic or such as councils and parliaments. racial background, sexual orientation, whether young people have a disability, what religion they are, whether 4. Recognize and support youth as agents of they are migrants or refugees—all these factors can change. Central to the concept of youth inclusion have a strong bearing on the opportunities open put forward in this paper is supporting youth to them, and to what extent they can benefit from voice and agency, recognizing that youth actively development interventions. Unlocking opportunities contribute to and shape their community and for them will require tailored interventions to access wider society. Not only are partnerships with youth services, markets and social spaces: young people critical for young people themselves, but also for with disabilities may need accessible locations or the successful implementation of development tailored training content to join skills and employment policies. Furthermore, youth inclusion does not programs, young girls may need safe transport begin or end with youth involvement in youth- or childcare options, and confidence building focused projects. Youth, and youth leaders, should interventions to take up more leadership positions. be actively consulted and sought as partners for most of our development interventions—whether 2. Increase funding for targeted programs to in agriculture, climate action, digital development, support young women. Youth is an important or energy investments. Youth voice, leadership time of transition for boys and girls, and decisions and partnerships can be fostered by the WB in taken at this age are likely to significantly affect several ways; such as by (i) having regular dialogue their long-term life trajectories. Yet, for girls and and engagement with youth groups, (ii) ensuring young women, this period of transition can be youth have leadership roles in the design and particularly challenging: they may face the pressure implementation of WB-funded projects and to marry and have children, to drop out of school programs, or (iii) supporting youth to establish their and work, are vulnerable to gender-based violence own organizations and providing funding for youth- and may have limited ability to make their own led or youth-focused organizations. decisions. Constraints associated with social norms accumulate over women’s life cycles leading 5. Make new digital opportunities and Artificial to limited career options, lower earnings, and less Intelligence (AI) work for traditionally excluded profitable enterprises. Targeted programs for young groups. Digital spaces can reproduce existing women which recognize their unique and multiple inequalities and divisions, unless a very conscious needs, whether it be access to reproductive health, effort is made to develop digital spaces and AI in education, employment opportunities or safe a way that is inclusive and considers the specific transport, are needed. Young women’s lives are multi- needs of different groups. Many of the social norms sectoral, and programs for them need to be as well. and exclusionary practices of the real world can be at play in the digital world as well; the rise in technology- 3. Invest more in youth programs focusing on civic facilitated gender-based violence in the digital realm engagement and building social cohesion. In being a particularly poignant example. The report contexts of fragility, or high unemployment, programs recommends seeing the digital space as more than that invest and promote the civic engagement of just a realm that young people are expected to “join”. young people as well as their general well-being can The WB should seek to support a more diverse group be effective in promoting stronger communities, of youth to create tools and spaces that work for Change-Makers: Empowering youth for inclusive societies Executive Summary October 2024 © World Bank young people from different backgrounds, including indicators showed no reason for discontent, young young people from marginalized communities, and people have organized to express their unhappiness help improve their quality of life. with the status quo and demanded change. This report puts forward a range of indicators that could 6. Start measuring youth inclusion and overall well- be used to measure youth inclusion and well-being, being in development initiatives. In keeping with including dimensions such as voice, mental-health, younger generations, who define success and well- ability to make informed and independent decisions, being in constantly evolving and more complex ways, and feeling part of the community. The report also the international development sector also needs to recommends disaggregating beyond the category of look beyond simply counting the number of young ‘youth’ —for instance, identifying young persons with beneficiaries per project, or traditional measures of disabilities or young people from ethnic or religious success such as income, employment status, and minority backgrounds— since this will allow more economic prosperity. Youth protests at different times accurate assessments of which youth are being in history have shown that even when economic reached through WB-funded programs. © 2024 The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org Some rights reserved This work is a product of The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the data included in this work and does not assume responsibility for any errors, omissions, or discrepancies in the information, or liability with respect to the use of or failure to use the information, methods, processes, or conclusions set forth. The boundaries, colors, denominations, links/footnotes and other information shown in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. The citation of works authored by others does not mean the World Bank endorses the views expressed by those authors or the content of their works.” Nothing herein shall constitute or be construed or considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: “Sultan, Sonya M., Sabina A. Espinoza, and Shughla Hellali. 2024. Change-Makers – Empowering Youth for Inclusive Societies. © World Bank.” Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522-2625; email: pubrights@worldbank.org. Cover design: Alejandro Espinoza, Sonideas based on a photo by © Salahudin Drik. World Bank. Further permission required for reuse. Global Department www.worldbank.org/en/topic/social-inclusion for Social Development