Tackling Youth Unemployment, Video interview of Ms Makaroff, Plan International

More than 1.8 billion people around the world are unemployed. “It’s a global challenge. Youth employment issues are happening in Europe, it’s happening everywhere in the world,” said Alexandra Makaroff, Head of Plan International’s EU office.

It is estimated that over the next decade a further 1 billion people will enter the job market. To meet this demand for work, “the global economy will need to create 5 million jobs every month. […] For the first time we’re faced with a dilemma and a challenge which is really relevant for all countries around the world,” Ms Makaroff added. 

Plan International focuses on ensuring a young person is economically fit to enter the labour market. Plan believes that being able to work is not just about having the right education; it is also about being healthy, growing up in a safe and secure environment, as well as many other factors.

In the following video Ms Makaroff discusses:

• What is at stake if the youth unemployment problem isn’t addressed [00:05]
• How the education system can better equip young people to enter the labour market [02:12]
• How to ensure women and girls enter the labour market [04:18]

She also reminded the importance of women and girls. “I think in everything we do we need to constantly remind leader’s, politicians, institutions of the importance that girls and women can bring in breaking poverty cycle, but also in bringing economic prosperity, social security. So there are a lot of things that women can contribute to.”

Plan International is focusing on youth economic empowerment for the European Year for Development thematic month on Sustainable Green Growth, Decent Jobs and Businesses, under the theme “A world at work: Unlocking potential, progressing together”. Find out more at https://europa.eu/eyd2015/en/plan-international