Addressing the challenges faced by rural youth aged 15 to 17 in preparing for and accessing decent work
This meeting report (PDF) by FAO features the results of the expert meeting on Addressing the Challenges Faced by Rural Youth Aged 15-17 in Preparing for and Accessing Decent Work in 2016. The expert meeting contributed to the identification of feasible and effective policies and actions to enable rural youth in this age group to prepare for and access decent work. Through working groups, 45 participants from 30 different countries collectively discussed and drafted problem statements and recommendations. These are compiled in this report. The agenda was organized around three main phases to reach three overarching objectives: 1) preparation for decent employment through education, skills development and life skills; 2) assessment of decent work opportunities in the rural economy, in particular related to agriculture; and 3) factors that enable youth to access decent work in agriculture and rural areas. The expert meeting recommends that awareness raising be carried out with the inclusion of youth, consulting with them and including their voice. Also, the promotion of community involvement is recommended. The high level of vulnerability of this age group requires multi sectoral partnerships, cooperation and dialogue. Additionally human capital should be increased through formal and informal education, including emphasize on agricultural topics in school curricula. Lastly, resources should be channeled towards rural youth aged 15-17 in order to enable them to equally access opportunities including education, information, power, infrastructure, markets, decent jobs, social protection and producers’ organizations.