Publication: Change-Makers: Empowering Youth for Inclusive Societies
Loading...
Files
134 downloads
149 downloads
67 downloads
23 downloads
23 downloads
7 downloads
Published
2025-02-04
ISSN
Date
2025-02-04
Editor(s)
Abstract
This paper presents a review of global evidence and World Bank operational experience and distills lessons to support the empowerment of youth. The review of global literature reveals three fundamental principles: (i) interventions that seek to promote jobs and economic empowerment of youth are more effective when they account for the specific barriers and circumstances that young people face; (ii) voice and agency are crucial, the more so because young people today face challenges that are not easily solved by conventional development initiatives focused on education or jobs alone; and (iii) young people can and must be enabled to catalyze greater cohesion and development for their communities. The operational review analyzed Bank operations focusing on youth over the past 20 years and identified good practices that apply these principles across sectors and regions. In doing so, it highlights the significant operational knowledge on this subject at the Bank. It identifies recurring challenges, including balancing the opportunity to reach large numbers of young people with reaching the most excluded youth. It unpacks how teams have resolved these tensions and opportunities for scaling up good practices.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Sultan, Sonya M.; Espinoza, Sabina A.; Hellali, Shughla. 2025. Change-Makers: Empowering Youth for Inclusive Societies. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/42754 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
Digital Object Identifier
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Azerbaijan - Country Partnership Framework for the Period FY25-29(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-02-12)This Country Partnership Framework (CPF) presents the planned engagement of the World Bank Group (WBG) in Azerbaijan over the next five years (FY25-29). The CPF is guided by the government’s strategy for socio-economic development for 2022-26 (SEDS) and the WBG’s most recent strategic analysis - including the 2022 Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) update, the 2022 Country Economic Memorandum (CEM), and the 2023 Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) - and has been aligned with the critical elements of the WBG evolution roadmap. The design also benefitted from lessons learnt from previous engagements and from consultations with key stakeholders, including government counterparts, civil society organizations, development partners, and the private sector. The CPF was delayed from starting when the previous CPF ended (FY21) due to a long dialogue with the authorities over the program and overlapping crises. The Government of Azerbaijan has now confirmed its desire to re-invigorate its WBG engagement for the coming years. The CPF will have two high level outcomes (HLOs): (i) increased resilience and sustainability, and (ii) increased productivity and better jobs.Publication FY 2024 Namibia Country Opinion Survey Report(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-12-10)The Country Opinion Survey in Namibia assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in better understanding how stakeholders in Namibia perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private sector, and civil society in Namibia on 1) their views regarding the general environment in Namibia; 2) their overall attitudes toward the WBG in Namibia; 3) overall impressions of the WBG’s effectiveness and results, knowledge work and activities, and communication and information sharing in Namibia; and 4) their perceptions of the WBG’s future role in Namibia.Publication Productive Longevity(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-12-18)Recognizing that this agenda spans virtually all of the World Bank’s policy areas, this brief focuses on policies under the purview of the World Bank’s Social Protection and Jobs (SPJ) agenda, especially those related to employment and skills development. Within the Bank, the productive longevity agenda is nascent. Although L/MICs are experiencing significant and rapid demographic changes, albeit at different stages, the policy agenda is still largely being shaped in high-income countries (HICs) and the evidence base for L/MICs is thin. The brief outlines implications for the SPJ agenda, both in terms of closing the diagnostics and evidence gap and mainstreaming aging in operational work.Publication Inclusion Matters in Africa(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020)Africa has garnered global attention for its many achievements and its dynamism, and at the same time, it has taken the spotlight for its substantial challenges. As in other parts of the world, positive developments have been uneven in Africa. This report places the notion of social inclusion in an analysis of Africa’s achievements and challenges. Its interdisciplinary approach uses evidence to bring empirical weight to issues that are often debated through advocacy and contestation. It also contributes to the priority areas of a new regional strategy for the Africa region of the World Bank by focusing on women’s empowerment, digital technology, fragility, and climate change, among others. The report asks, in the wake of the advances Africa has made over the years, who is excluded, from what, how, and why. It then highlights what has been attempted in the quest of African countries for social inclusion. One of the main contributions of this report is that while grounded in the experience of African countries, it shows that Africa’s challenges in social inclusion are not unique or exceptional. It highlights examples of the remarkable innovations that abound in Africa and of the policy and programmatic movement towards social inclusion. It surmises that social inclusion must be based on a clear social contract that recognizes both the costs and benefits of policies and interventions towards social inclusion.Publication The Cash Dividend : The Rise of Cash Transfer Programs in Sub-Saharan Africa(World Bank, 2012)The results of the review do not disappoint. The authors identified more than 120 cash transfer programs that were implemented between 2000 and mid-2009 in Sub-Saharan Africa. These programs have varying objectives, targeting, scale, conditions, technologies, and more. A sizable number of these programs conducted robust impact evaluations that provide important information, presented here, on the merits of cash transfer programs and their specific design features in the African context. The authors present summary information on programs, often in useful graphs, and provide detailed reference material in the appendixes. They highlight how many of the cash transfer programs in Africa that had not yet begun implementation at the time of writing will continue to provide important evaluation results that will guide the design of cash transfer programs in the region. In addition to presenting data and analysis on the mechanics of the programs, the authors discuss issues related to political economy. They highlight the importance of addressing key tradeoffs in cash transfers, political will, and buy-in, and they emphasize the need to build evidence-based debates on cash transfer programs. Useful anecdotes and discussion illustrate how some programs have dealt with these issues with varying degrees of success. This text will serve as a useful reference for years to come for those interested in large- and small-scale issues of cash transfer implementation, both in Africa and beyond. However, the book is not an end in itself. It also raises important questions that must be addressed and knowledge gaps that must be filled. Therefore, it is useful both in the information it provides and in the issues and questions it raises.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Côte d’Ivoire Country Climate and Development Report(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-11-02)Le présent CCDR comporte trois messages principaux: (i) En premier lieu, le maintien du statu quo ne permettra plus de soutenir la croissance économique de la Côte d'Ivoire et ses ambitions de devenir un pays à revenu intermédiaire de la tranche supérieure à l’horizon 2030, tout en réduisant considérablement la pauvreté. Toutes choses étant égales par ailleurs, et dans le cadre d’un scénario de climat sec/plus chaud, le changement climatique devrait réduire le produit intérieur brut (PIB) réel de 13 pour cent d’ici à 2050, ce qui empêcherait 1,63 million de personnes de s’affranchir de la pauvreté. Quoique dispendieuses, les mesures d’adaptation peuvent potentiellement compenser une grande partie de l’impact négatif du climat, notamment sur les populations démunies; (ii) Deuxièmement, des secteurs économiques clés, dont le cacao et l’énergie, courent le risque de connaître des contre-performances si aucune mesure n’est prise maintenant même pour faire face aux impacts climatiques et tirer parti des mutations technologiques ou des changements réglementaires. En outre, les centres urbains, qui sont des pôles économiques, sont exposés aux dommages climatiques subis par les infrastructures et aux pertes considérables de moyens de subsistance subies par les populations démunies vivant dans des communautés à faibles revenus. Des menaces planent également sur les routes, les réseaux numériques et les autres infrastructures qui assurent l’interconnectivité au plan national, garantissant l’efficacité des déplacements et l’accès aux marchés et aux services; (iii) Troisièmement, la Côte d'Ivoire n’est pas actuellement prête à faire face aux conséquences du changement climatique. Sa capacité d’adaptation en est encore à ses balbutiements, ses institutions et sa coordination de l’action en faveur du climat sont fragmentaires, et ses politiques et programmes ne sont pas à la hauteur du défi climatique auquel sont confrontées les populations vulnérables. Entre-temps, la mise en œuvre des stratégies et plans existants reste limitée. Les composantes réglementaires, institutionnelles et climatiques nécessaires à la gestion des impacts climatiques doivent être revues ou mises en place. Certes, la croissance du secteur privé a connu une tendance positive, mais elle n’atteint pas encore son potentiel en termes de portée et d’échelle, si bien qu’elle doit encore se développer pour jouer son rôle essentiel à l’adaptation aux effets du changement climatique et à leur atténuation.Publication Comoros Country Climate and Development Report(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-18)The Union of the Comoros (The Comoros) has significant vulnerability to climate change-related risks but has considerable opportunities to strengthen preparedness and resilience against these challenges. According to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index, the Comoros is the 29th-most vulnerable country to climate change and the 163rd most ready to adapt (out of 191). The Comoros archipelago is exposed to many natural hazards that adversely affect the country’s natural capital, people, and physical infrastructure. In 2014, the economic cost of climate-related disasters was estimated at 5.7 million dollars annually, equivalent to 9.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Between 2018 and 2023, as many as 11 tropical depressions or cyclones impacted the country, with Cyclone Kenneth causing the greatest damage, equivalent to 14 percent of GDP, resulting in total economic growth falling from 3.6 percent in 2018 to 1.9 percent in 2019. More than 345,000 people (40 percent of the population) were affected by the cyclone, with 185,000 people experiencing severe impacts and 12,000 people displaced. However, there is an opportunity for the country to grow more robust and shock-responsive, and to establish pre-positioned funding mechanisms to enhance future crisis response efforts. For the Comoros, adaptation and climate-resilient development are the key climate change focus areas, with the country projected to face 836 million dollars 2050 in additional costs due to climate-related impacts. Current plans to adapt to the impacts of climate change in the Comoros include efforts to improve water management, strengthen coastal protection, and develop climate-smart agriculture practices. Given the country’s reliance on its natural resource base for economic growth and mobility, protection of these resources from climate change will be essential for promoting resilient growth and development. In addition to growing the adaptive capacity of the country’s natural resource sectors, strategic economic diversification will be important to help minimize future climate impacts, and development activities will need to be undertaken in such a way as to attract low-carbon co-benefits. The Union of the Comoros is committed to addressing climate change through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and national priorities. The country’s NDC (which was revised in 2021 for a ten-year horizon) sets ambitious targets, with a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 23 percent by 2030. The country also plans to significantly increase the share of renewable energy in its energy portfolio, reaching 33 MW by 2030. This will not only promote low-carbon development but also reduce the country’s dependency on imported oil and coal, which currently make up 95 percent of the energy mix. Additionally, the Comoros has declared its intention to increase CO2 removals by 47 percent by 2030, compared to BAU.Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.Publication Egypt Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11-08)This Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores the challenges and opportunities of improving the alignment of Egypt’s development goals with its climate ambition. The CCDR offers a set of policy options and investment opportunities that, if implemented within five years, can deliver short-term benefits in selected sectors while also creating momentum toward important long-term benefits. The options identified in this report provide: Cost-effective adaptation approaches to reduce the negative impacts of climate change; Policy interventions to improve efficiency in the use of natural resources, and complement the creation of fiscal space to finance projects that reduce the vulnerability of people and the economy to climate shocks; Actions that can help avoid carbon lock-in through low-cost policy changes; Interventions to strengthen the country’s competitiveness while reducing negative externalities (such as pollution) and incentivize Egypt’s move towards a low carbon growth path in a manner consistent with its development objectives. Overall, the report identifies opportunities to reduce inefficiencies, manage risk, and strengthen the foundation for increased private sector participation.Publication Dominican Republic Country Climate and Development Report(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-11-30)The Dominican Republic has made significant progress in boosting economic growth and reducing poverty, but it still faces challenges to achieve inclusive and equitable development, increase productivity, and improve the competitiveness and sustainability of primary sectors like agriculture, water, tourism, and energy. The National Development Strategy (NDS) and the National Multi‑Year Public Sector Plan (NPSP) aim to address development and climate challenges and promote a green, inclusive and resilient future. The DR is highly vulnerable to climate change, which is likely to compound existing development challenges. By 2050, climate change impacts are expected to decrease labor productivity and affect health, crop yields, tourism, infrastructure capital, and natural ecosystems such as forests and coastal areas. Climate change also poses risks to the financial system such as the banking sector's heightened credit exposure to tropical cyclones and droughts. Although the DR has a small carbon footprint, the country's GHG emissions have been rising, mainly in the energy, waste, and agricultural sectors. Fostering a low‑carbon growth path can support the country's climate change goals while bringing important development co‑benefits. The Dominican Republic CCDR employs a version of the MANAGE model. This CCDR further extends the model to incorporate the path of emissions from key sectors (transport, energy, AFOLU), and to incorporate DR‑specific climate damage functions to introduce the impact of climate change on the economy.