International Conference on Putting Youth to Work in Sub-Saharan Africa (YESSA), from January 28 to 30, 2014

Dakar, Senegal (ots/PRNewswire) -

What strategies can we adopt to put youth to work?

Answers from researchers, experts and decision-makers

An international conference on Putting youth to work in
sub-Saharan Africa will be held from January 28 to 30, 2014, at the
Pullman Hotel in Dakar, Senegal. This event, designed as a forum for
reflection, exchange, and experience-sharing, is being organized by
Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), in
collaboration with the Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP).

The conference organizers consider youth unemployment as one of
the major issues faced by African countries. A unique opportunity
presented itself in Senegal in 2013 following the government decision
to recruit 5,000 new civil servants after the 2012 presidential
election. The vast number of applications received - 150,000 -
attests to the country's shortage of jobs for this age group. In
fact, youth aged 15 to 35 comprise approximately 37% of the workforce
in Africa. Existing statistics show that youth are three times more
likely to be unemployed than adults. Youth comprise 83% of the
unemployed in Uganda, 68% in Zimbabwe and 56% in Burkina Faso and
Senegal.

This is clearly an opportune time to assess the gaps in knowledge
of Africa's labour market dynamics, and to conduct a critical study
of current practices and strategies for youth employment.

The conference will bring together national and regional public
policy actors, multilateral partners, researchers and other African
think tank and research centre experts. The event will give speakers
the opportunity to compare the scientific research results with
programs and initiatives for youth employment in order to define the
possibilities and challenges and identify the best potential policy
options and strategies and their perspectives. This meeting will also
inform the development of a relevant policy-oriented research agenda
that takes into account local realities.

Prelude to the special session of the African Union's Conference
of Labour Ministers

The discussions at this conference will feed into the debate that
will take place during the special session of the African Union's
Conference of Labour Ministers to be held in Windhoek in April 2014.
During this meeting, a new declaration and action plan for promoting
jobs for youth in Africa will be adopted. In turn, the Ministers'
meeting will feed into a special summit of the AU Heads of State to
mark the 10th anniversary of the Ouagadougou Declaration in September
2014.

Journalists and the public can also join in the conversation
through Twitter [http://twitter.com/idrc_crdi ] (#YESSA2014).

For more information [http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Programs/Social_and_E
conomic_Policy/Supporting_Inclusive_Growth/Pages/EventDetails.aspx?Ev
entID=252 ]

About Canada's IDRC

A key part of Canada's aid program, IDRC supports research in
developing countries to promote growth and development. The result is
innovative, lasting local solutions that aim to bring change to those
who need it most. http://www.idrc.ca

About PEP

The Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) is an international
network of researchers and development economics experts (currently
comprising over 8,000 members) with the main objective of promoting
the local capacity for economic policy research and analysis in
developing countries.

http://www.pep-net.org

Information:

Gloria Lihemo

Communications and Public Relations Officer | IDRC's Regional
Office for Sub-Saharan Africa

Tel: +254-271-3160/1 | Mobile: +254-727-903-983 | glihemo@idrc.ca

@IDRC_ROSSA (#YESSA2014)

Awa Diop

Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) | PEP African Office |
Consortium pour la recherche économique et sociale Tel:
+221-33-864-7398 | Mobile: +221-77-375-3656 | awa.diop@pep-net.org

@PEPNetwork (#YESSA2014)

ots Originaltext: International Development Research Centre
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de