Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General, during a visit to the International Labour Organization (ILO), urged employers to empower more youth in their structures and engage with youth-led organisations.
He described youth unemployment as an ‘epidemic’ that represented a great test in the employment market and said that the private sector was a key driver of job creation.
During his visit to ILO headquarters in Geneva, he focused on the importance of investing in quality jobs for youth. Ban added, “We need strong and innovative strategies, reaching out to specific groups, such as youth with disabilities as well as young women, and the need to support youth to become job creators.”
The head of the UN echoed the words of Pope Francis, who in a message to the International Labour Conference the week before, had said that with high youth unemployment, “we are throwing away an entire generation.” Ban said, “This is why I have made ‘working with and for women and young people’ one of my top priorities. One priority – which is led by the ILO – is increasing cooperation on employment and entrepreneurship for youth.”
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
