Background

The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in a massive disruption to economies and labour markets in Asia and the Pacific, with disproportionate impacts on youth aged 15-24 years (ILO and ADB, 2020). Targeted and effective investments are needed to improve their labour market prospects and prevent the risk of long-term exclusion for a generation of young people, which is exacerbated by pre-existing labour market vulnerabilities, inequalities and gender disparities among youth in Asia-Pacific.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, governments in Asia and the Pacific adopted a wide array of youth-relevant policy measures to stimulate economy and employment as well as to support enterprises, jobs and incomes. Yet, the lessons from COVID-19 policy responses for youth employment need to be examined to inform further investments. The global call to action for a human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, adopted by ILO member States at the International Labour Conference in June 2021, provides guidance on promoting youth employment through a human-centred recovery.

Objectives

The webinar on “Youth employment and entrepreneurship in Asia-Pacific: Lessons for a human-centred recovery” aims to facilitate knowledge sharing among policymakers, researchers, practitioners and other key stakeholders towards the promotion of effective youth employment and entrepreneurship interventions in the COVID-19 recovery.  It is co-organized by partners of the UN Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth in collaboration with the ILO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The webinar focuses on the policy responses to the COVID-19 crisis relevant to youth employment and entrepreneurship in Asia and the Pacific, and explores the opportunities, lessons and implications to strengthen support to youth employment for a human-centred recovery.

• Improve understanding about policy responses to the COVID-19 crisis relevant to youth employment and entrepreneurship.
• Learn about various innovative and effective youth employment initiatives led by governments, social partners and other key stakeholders to improve youth labour market prospects in the crisis recovery.
• Explore opportunities, lessons and priorities to strengthen support to youth employment at regional and country-level.

Audience

• Government representatives
• Representatives of worker’s and employers’ organizations
• Youth and civil society organizations
• Researchers, think tanks and foundations
• Private sector representatives
• UN System entities, regional institutions and development partners
• Partners of the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth, and other practitioners promoting youth employment and entrepreneurship