World Youth Skills Day
2024 Theme: Youth Skills for Peace and Development
UN entities involved in this initiative
ILO, UN, UNESCO, UNICEFSustainable Development Goals
About the initiative
Today, and every day, let’s work to transform education. And let’s ensure that youth have what they need to build skills for shaping a more peaceful, sustainable future for all”
— UN Secretary-General António Guterres
In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day, to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. The theme for World Youth Skills Day 2024, "Youth Skills for Peace and Development," underscores the crucial role young people play in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
Join the #WorldYouthSkillsDay social media campaign calling for investment in digital, green and life skills for youth!
|
The world faces a multitude of challenges today, many of which affect the youth. Violent conflicts disrupting education and stability, a polarized online environment fostering negativity, and persistent economic inequality limits opportunities. These issues threaten not only individual futures but also the overall stability of societies. It is crucial to equip youth with the necessary skills for fostering a culture of peace, nurturing responsible global citizens, and promoting sustainable development to build a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for all.
On World Youth Skills Day, let us unite in recognizing the potential of young people as agents of peace and commit to providing them with the skills and opportunities to address challenges and contribute to a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future.
Did you know?
• Recent estimates suggest that 600 million jobs would have to be created over the next 15 years to meet youth employment needs.
• In 2021, approximately 75 million young people were unemployed, 408 million were employed, and 732 million were out of the labor force globally.
• The share of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) in 2020 – the latest year for which a global estimate is available – rose to 23.3 per cent, an increase of 1.5 percentage points from the previous year and a level not seen in at least 15 years.
• The youth population will grow by more than 78 million between 2021 and 2030. Low income countries will account for nearly half of that increase. Education and training systems need to respond to this challenge.
• Good-quality apprenticeships, well-designed internships, and volunteering initiatives can provide entry points into the labor market for first-time jobseekers and young graduates.
