Conference discusses youth employment in western Balkans

VIENNA, Oct. 21 – The World Bank and Austrian authorities held a high-level policy dialogue on “Youth Employment in Southeast Europe” with the participation of ministers of labor, social policy, and youth, and senior officials from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia.
Representatives of international organizations, think tanks, and youth representatives were also present to discuss ways to improve youth employment prospects in the region and unlock the potential of the younger generation.
The conference highlighted the persistent and high rate of youth unemployment in Southeast Europe relative to other countries in the world. In many countries, one in two youth are unemployed. Moreover, the conference called attention to the number of youth who are not only out of work, but also out of school. One in four youth in SEE is not working, not searching for work, and not studying. When young people find employment, they are often left with precarious jobs, part-time or temporary jobs, or informal employment, leaving them excluded from the benefit system and society more generally.
The policy dialogue encouraged a very open discussion and allowed participants to take stock, and to discuss policies both successful and failed ones. The discussion touched upon macroeconomic policies, markets and incentives, as well as skills. Areas that needed further analysis, policy development, and action were outlined.