Webinar – Investing in Youth: The Role of Development Banks

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s latest Global Employment Trends for Youth report, the global youth unemployment rate has returned to its pre-COVID rate of 13%. While this is a positive signal, unemployment alone does not capture the full picture of youth well-being and its decline has not been universal. The youth employment challenge is particularly pressing in developing countries, where demographic pressures are high, wage employment opportunities are scarce and formal job creation is insufficient to give most youth access to decent work. Boosting international cooperation, public–private partnerships and innovative financing for development will be key to tackle these challenges. Development banks play a critical role in leveraging public and private resources and ensuring that investments prioritize youth well-being.

This webinar, organized by the Donor Platform's Thematic Working Group on Rural Youth Employment (TWG RYE), will explore how development banks’ strategies for youth employment have been translated into concrete actions and measurable impact. Representatives from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will share insights on investment design, youth engagement, mechanisms for leveraging public and private resources to maximize impact and lessons learned.