What is youth development…?

Youth development is a process that prepares a young person to meet the challenges of adolescence and
adulthood and achieve his or her full potential. Youth development is promoted through activities and
experiences that help youth develop social, ethical, emotional, physical, and coginitive competencies

Why is youth development is so important …?

For the last four decades, our nation trying to resolve youth problems like academic failure, drug use, teen
pregnancy, juvenile crime, lack of workforce readiness and more these efforts have returned mixed to poor
results. Youth “problems” are often caused by underlying issues that are widespread and chronic: persistent
poverty, parents’ lack of family management skills, racism, lack of supports and opportunities, and lack of clear
standards in the community. As a result, many youth experience difficulties in school, have poor navigation and
decision making skills, lack of a sense of purpose and lack of skills or access to affect change. Even when
“problems” are addressed, youth are not automatically then prepared for college, work and life. Repeated
studies across the nation show that today’s workforce lacks the soft skills needed to ensure worker success. Low
voter turnout and low volunteer rates are signs that youth do not understand their civic obligations. Family
violence, work place conflicts and divorce rates are signs that we have not taught youth to appropriately resolve
relationships issues. Youth must be prepared appropriately so they can respond to the challenges and
opportunities of navigating adolescence and preparing for adulthood.

Whose responsibility is it to help youth develop…?

Since youth are always in the process of developing, every setting matters. Each sector has a job to help youth
develop positively:

 Schools: help youth develop cognitively, physically, socially and civicly

 Faith community: help youth develop morally
 Businesses: help youth develop job skills
 Civic organizations: help youth became engaged in community service projects.

Crime And Youth

Youth are a source of immense energy and drive. If not harnessed and moulded properly, this energy not only
goes waste, but at times becomes destructive to society. Involvement of youth in crimes and social abuse like
drug addiction etc. is the consequence of this failure. Although a majority of crimes are committed by youth
by virtue of their large physical energy, there is no separate statistics for age wise segregation of criminals
involved in serious crimes like murder, dacoity, theft etc.

Juvenile Delinquency:
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2000 provide for special dispensation in respect of children involved
in criminal activity. It recognises a person below the age of 18 year as juvenile. The Act has recently been
replaced by Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2015.
The JJ Act, 2015 provides for strengthened provisions for both children in need of care and protection and
children in conflict with law. Some of the key provisions include: change in nomenclature from ‘juvenile’ to
‘child’ or ‘child in conflict with law’, across the Act to remove the negative connotation associated with the word
“juvenile”; inclusion of several new definitions such as orphaned, abandoned and surrendered children; and
petty, serious and heinous offences committed by children; clarity in powers, function and responsibilities of
Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) and Child Welfare Committee (CWC); clear timelines for inquiry by Juvenile Justice
Board (JJB); special provisions for heinous offences committed by children above the age of sixteen year;
separate new chapter on Adoption to streamline adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children;
inclusion of new offences committed against children; and mandatory registration of Child Care Institutions.
As per National Crime Record Bureau, a total of 41,385 juveniles were apprehended during 2015 out of which
40,468 were boys and 917 were girls. The percentage of girls to total juveniles is found to be following a
decreasing trend from 2011 and has reduced to 2.2% in 2015. Details of gender-wise juveniles apprehended
under IPC (Indian Penal Code) and SLL (Special and Local Laws) crimes are presented in following table:

Table 27 : Juvenile Delinquency; 2001-2015

Delinquents
(IPC+SLL)
Rate of
(in thousand) Percentage of Incidence of
Year girls to total Crime per Lakh
Boys Girls Total population

1 2 3 4 5 6

2001 31.3 2.3 33.6 6.9 1.6

2002 33.6 2.2 35.8 6.2 1.8

2003 31.0 2.3 33.3 7.0 1.7

2004 28.9 2.1 31.0 6.7 2.9

2005 30.6 2.1 32.7 6.3 3.0

2006 30.4 1.8 32.1 5.5 2.9

2007 32.7 1.9 34.5 5.4 3.0

2008 32.8 1.7 34.5 5.0 3.0

2009 31.6 2.1 33.6 6.2 2.9

2010 28.8 1.5 30.3 5.1 2.6

2011 31.9 2.0 33.9 5.8 2.8

 2012 37.8 2.1 39.8 5.2 3.3

2013 41.6 1.9 43.5 4.3 3.5

2014 46.6 1.6 48.2 3.3 3.9

2015 40.5 0.9 41.4 2.2 3.3

Source: National Crime Records Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs

Suicides:
Every year, more than 1,00,000 people commit suicide in our country. There are various known causes of
suicides like family problems, financial distress, professional problems, illness etc. National Crime Records
Bureau collects data on suicides from police recorded suicides cases. Youth (18 and above- below 30 years) is
one of the vulnerable groups resorting to suicides with 33% share of total suicides.

‘Family problems’ and ‘illness’ were the major causes of suicides in 2015, which accounted for 28% and 16%
of total suicides. Out of the overall suicide victims 68.5% were males and 31.5% were females.

Table 28: Incidences of Suicides in various age groups -2015

below 18 18 and above - Total (All age-groups)
Sl. years below 30 year
No. Cause Male Female Male Female Male Female Total
1 Bankruptcy or Indebtedness 11 3 716 54 4081 276 4357
Marriage Related Issues (Total) 51 145 1046 2559 2497 3915 6412
2
2.1 Non Settlement of Marriage 13 27 321 342 654 524 1178
2.2 Dowry Related Issues 2 19 39 1335 73 1801 1874
2.3 Extra Marital Affairs 8 27 165 232 398 387 785
2.4 Divorce 1 7 55 103 192 199 391
2.5 Others 27 65 466 547 1180 1004 2184
3 Failure in Examination 697 663 726 457 1511 1135 2646
4 Impotency/Infertility 7 3 72 68 243 205 448
5 Other Family Problems 950 1189 7141 5492 24043 12885 36928
6 Illness (Total) 420 484 3127 2073 14232 6944 21176
6.1 AIDS/STD 0 2 32 10 156 34 190
6.2 Cancer 1 12 86 42 586 241 827
6.3 Paralysis 1 10 51 46 442 176 618
6.4 Insanity/Mental Illness 277 245 1592 878 5614 2795 8409
6.5 Other Prolonged Illness 141 215 1366 1097 7434 3698 11132
7 Death of dear person 18 24 156 121 596 355 951
8 Drug Abuse/Addiction 43 21 930 44 3513 157 3670
9 Fall in Social Reputation 16 14 188 66 804 289 1093
10 Ideological Causes/Hero 9 1 12 10 40 17 57
Worshipping
11 Love Affairs 273 541 1597 1080 2541 1935 4476
 12 Poverty 37 20 396 79 1454 245 1699
13 Unemployment 68 31 1035 90 2450 273 2723
14 Property dispute 27 46 465 135 1895 596 2491
15 Suspected/Illicit Relation 10 18 82 82 278 195 473
16 Illegitimate Pregnancy 0 14 0 25 0 49 49
17 Physical Abuse (Rape, etc.) 0 26 8 19 15 65 80
18 Professional/Career Problem 29 11 410 95 1317 272 1589
19 Causes Not Known 655 625 3405 1903 11140 5073 16213
20 Other Causes 1141 1067 5371 2512 18878 7207 26085
Total 4462 4446 26883 16964 91528 42088 133623*
* Total includes transgender also
Source: National Crime Records Bureau, M/o Home Affairs

Incidences of Rape:
It is unfortunate that incidences of rape in India against female and more so against minors are rising steadily.
There has been demand to make the law more stringent in case of rape. The criminal law was amended in
2013 after the notorious Nirbhaya incident of rape (2012), providing for enhanced punishment for convicts,
repeat offenders and also making provision of punishment for other offences like eveteasing, stalking,
voyeurism etc. which were otherwise not covered earlier.

An increasing trend in the incidence of rape has been observed during the periods 2011 - 2014. A total of
34,651 cases of rape under section 376 IPC were registered during 2015 (excluding cases under the Protection
of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012). Age group wise number of victims of total rape cases
registered is as given below:

Table 29 : Victims of Rape by Age Group

No. of Victims
No. of cases
Year Upto 10 10-14 years 14-18 years 18-30 years 30 years &
Reported
years above Total
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2000 16496 744 2388 4622 6638 2104 16496
2001 16075 530 1440 3911 7881 2316 16078
2002 16373 411 854 1325 10730 3058 16378
2003 15847 389 931 1792 9873 2871 15856
2004 18233 532 1090 2004 11343 3270 18239
2005 18359 557 1174 2344 10809 3492 18376
2006 19348 512 1081 3364 11312 3096 19365
2007 20737 617 1355 3152 11984 3663 20771
2008 21467 639 1331 3496 12299 3720 21485
2009 21397 710 1760 2912 12812 3219 21413
2010 22172 571 1404 3570 12749 3899 22193
2011 24206 875 1707 4646 13264 3778 24270
2012 24923 1051 2074 5957 12511 3322 24915
2013 33707 1584 2843 8877 15556 4904 33764
 Age of Victim (Years)
6 yrs & 12 yrs & 16 yrs & 18 yrs &
Above - Above - Above - Above - 30 yrs
No. of cases Below Below 12 Below 16 Below 18 Below 30 &
Year Reported 6 years years years years years Above All
2014* 37413 547 1491 5635 6862 16520 6626 37681
2015 34651 451 1151 4244 5547 16966 6412 34771
* Figures of rape (Section 376 IPC) also includes figures of POCSO Act, 2012 as furnished by Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya
Source: National Crime Records Bureau, M/o Home Affairs

Policy initiatives for youth in India

Youth has always been of vital concern of the Government of India. Various youth development programmes
undertaken by the Union Government after Independence, like National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service
Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and the schemes for financial assistance to NGOs engaged
in youth development bear ample testimony to this fact.

It was in the International Year of Youth (1985) that a separate Department of Youth Affairs & Sports was
created in Government of India. This Department took initiative to formulate a National Youth Policy. Wide
ranging consultations with all the concerned agencies including the voluntary organizations were held and a
Draft National Youth Policy was formulated. This was further discussed in the conference of State Ministers in-
charge of
Youth Affairs and Sports held at Bangalore in June, 1987 and also by the National Advisory Committee. A
comprehensive National Youth Policy was first evolved and laid on the Table of both houses of Parliament in
November- December, 1988 and adopted by the Government.

The main features of the policy were that the Youth have a right as well and obligation to participate actively in
shaping the destiny of the Nation. It emphasised the need to create increasing opportunities for them to
develop their personalities and their functional capability and thus make them economically productive and
socially useful.

A Committee for National Youth Programmes (CONYP) was also set up as per the guidelines of National Youth
Policy with the Prime Minister as its Chairperson which led to the formation of a National level committee
constituted by the Department of Youth and Sports for preparation of the National Perspective Plan forof the
Nation. It emphasised the need to create increasing opportunities for them to develop their personalities and
their functional capability and thus make them economically productive and socially useful.

A Committee for National Youth Programmes (CONYP) was also set up as per the guidelines of National Youth
Policy with the Prime Minister as its Chairperson which led to the formation of a National level committee
constituted by the Department of Youth and Sports for preparation of the National Perspective Plan for the
Youth, 1996-2020. The committee identified various areas of concern for youth which inter-alia include:

1. Youth in Academic Institutions

2. Out of School/Non-Student Rural Youth.
3. Out of School/Non -Student Urban Youth and Youth in Slum Areas.
 4. Training, Employment, Vocational Guidance and Career Counseling.
5. Youth-Culture and Creative.
6. Sports, Adventure and Recreation for Youth.
7. Youth and Adolescence.
8. Youth Health including Drug Abuse, Alcohol and HIV / AIDs
9. Youth-Sanitation and Environment
10.Youth with Special Needs
11.Youth and Gender Justice
12.Youth, Media and Communication
13.Youth in Urban Areas
14.Youth and Population
15.Youth in the North East
The National Youth Policy, 2003 replaced the erstwhile National Youth Policy 1988. The policy was redesigned to
galvanize the youth to rise up to the new challenges, keeping in view the global scenario, and aimed at
motivating them to be active and committed participants in the exciting task of National Development. The
thrust of the Policy centred on “Youth Empowerment” in different spheres of national life. This Policy defined
youth as persons in the age group of 13 to 35 years.

The National Youth Policy, 2014

The National Youth Policy, 2014 (NYP-2014) was launched in February, 2014. This policy reiterates the
commitment of the entire nation to all-round development of the youth of India, so that they can realise their
full potential and contribute productively to the nation-building process. The NYP-2014 has been finalised after
extensive consultations with all the stakeholders. The Policy defines ‘youth’ as persons in the age-group of 15-29
years.

The NYP-2014 proposes a holistic ‘vision’ for the youth of India, which is “To empower youth of the country to
achieve their full potential, and through them enable India to find its rightful place in the community of nations”.
In order to realise this Vision, the NYP-2014 identifies 5 clearly defined ‘Objectives’ which need to be pursued
and the ‘Priority Areas’ under each of the Objectives. The objectives and priority areas identified under the NYP-
2014 are summarised below:

Objectives Priority Areas

1. Create a productive workforce that can make a 1. Education
sustainable contribution to India’s economic 2. Employment and skill development
development 3. Entrepreneurship
2. Develop a strong and healthy generation equipped 4. Health and healthy lifestyle
to take on future challenges 5. Sports
3. Instil social values and promote community service 6. Promotion of social values
to build national ownership 7. Community engagement

4. Facilitate participation and civic engagement at all 8. Participation in politics & governance
levels of governance 9. Youth engagement
5. Support youth at risk and create equitable
opportunity for all disadvantaged and marginalised 10. Inclusion
youth
11. Social justice

Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Recognizing the imperative need for skill development, National Skill Development Policy was formulated in
2009. Given the vast paradigm shift in the skilling and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the country and the
experience gained through implementation of various skill development programmes, a need was felt to revisit
the existing policy to align the policy framework with the emerging trends in the national and international
milieu.

Accordingly, Government framed the National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015. The
primary objective of this policy is to meet the challenge of skilling at scale with speed, standard (quality) and
sustainability. It aims to provide an umbrella framework to all skilling activities being carried out within the
country, to align them to common standards and link skilling with demand centres. In addition to laying down
the objectives and expected outcomes, the policy also identifies the overall institutional framework which will
act as a vehicle to reach the expected outcomes.

Skills development is the shared responsibility of the key stakeholders viz. Government, the entire spectrum of
corporate sector, community based organizations, those outstanding, highly qualified and dedicated individuals
who have been working in the skilling and entrepreneurship space for many years, industry and trade
organisations and other stakeholders. The policy links skills development to improved employability and
productivity in paving the way forward for inclusive growth in the country. The skill strategy is complemented by
specific efforts to promote entrepreneurship in order to create ample opportunities for the skilled workforce.

The core objective of the Policy is to empower the individual, by enabling her/him to realize their full potential
through a process of lifelong learning where competencies are accumulated via instruments such as credible
certifications, credit accumulation and transfer, etc. As individuals grow, the society and nation also benefit from
their productivity and growth. The policy framework has been developed to accomplish the vision of Skill India
by adhering to the objectives. The framework outlines eleven major paradigms and enablers(Aspiration and
Advocacy, Capacity, Quality, Synergy, Mobilization and Engagement, Global Partnerships, Outreach, ICT
Enablement, Trainers and Assessors, Inclusivity and Promotion of skilling among women) to achieve these
objectives of skilling India.

Government Programmes for Youth in India

 1. National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP):

A new Central Sector Scheme, namely, ‘National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP)’ was formulated by Ministry
of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2014-15 with a view to develop leadership qualities among the youth. The scheme
aims at developing leadership qualities among the youth to enable them to realise their full potential and in the
process, to contribute to the nationbuilding process. It also aims at motivating the youth to strive for excellence
in their respective fields and to bring them to the forefront of the development process. It seeks to harness the
immense youth energy for national-building.

The Programme has the following components:

a) Neighbourhood Youth Parliament (NYP): Under this Programme, the platform of youth clubs of NYKS
is being developed further in the shape of vibrant ‘neighbourhood youth parliament’. The aim is to
educate the youth club members about contemporary socio-economic development issues confronting
village communities in general and the youth in particular and to involve them in debate/ discussions
on such issues.
b) Youth for Development Programme (YFDP): The objective of the Programme is to channelise the
immense youth energy towards the nation-building, by involving them in Shramadaan (voluntary
labour) in order to develop the personality and leadership qualities of the youth and promotes the
spirit of ‘dignity of labour’.
c) National Young Leaders Awards (NYLA): The objective is to motivate the youth to strive for excellence
in their respective fields by recognising and rewarding their outstanding work.
d) National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC): The objective of setting up of a National Youth Advisory
Council (NYAC) is to seek active involvement of the youth leaders as well as other stakeholders in the
decision making process on the youth related issues. NYAC is to advise the Ministries/ Departments on
youth related initiatives/ issues.
e) National Youth Development Fund (NYDF): The objective of National Youth Development Fund (NYDF)
is to mobilise funds from non-budgetary resources also for youth development.

Progress so far: During 2014-15 or 2015, NYKS has organised 5,092 Youth Parliament Programmes at Block level,
in which 3.96 lakh members of NYKaffiliated Youth Clubs participated. In addition, NYKS has organised 16,392
village-level neighbourhood youth parliament programmes. Youth for Development (IEC–Media and Publicity)
component of the Scheme has been implemented by NYKS in 552 Districts in India to create awareness/
motivation about Shramadaan. Guidelines for setting up and operation of National Youth Development Fund
(NYDF) have been notified and further steps have been initiated to operationalize the Fund.

2. Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS)

Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), launched in 1972, is one of the largest youth organisations in the world.
NYKS currently has about 8.5 million youth enrolled through 3.01 lakh Youth Clubs/ Mahila Mandals. NYKS has
presence in 623 Districts through Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKs). The Objective of the Programme is to develop the
personality and leadership qualities of the youth and to engage them in nation-building activities.

The focus activities include literacy and education, health and family welfare, sanitation and cleanliness,
environment conservation, awareness on social issues, women empowerment, rural development, skill
development and self-employment, entrepreneurship development, civic education, disaster relief and
rehabilitation, etc.
The Programmes/ activities carried out by NYKS can be broadly classified in the following categories:
a) Core Programmes
• Youth Club Development Programme (YCDP)
• Training on Youth Leadership and Community Development (TYLCD)
• Theme-based Awareness and Education Programme
• Promotion of Sports (Sports Material to Youth Clubs)
• Skill Up-gradation Training Programme (SUTP)
• Promotion of Folk Art and Culture

• Observance of Days of National and International importance

• District Youth Convention and Yuva Kriti
• Awards to Outstanding Youth Clubs

b) Programmes organised with funding from NPYAD (National Programme for Youth and Adolescent
Development)
• National Integration Camps (NICs):
• Youth Leadership and Personality Development Programme (YLPDP):
• Life Skill Training for Adolescents
• Adventure Camps (Promotion of Adventure)

c) Programmes organised in collaboration with/ funding from other Ministries/Organisations.

• Tribal Youth Exchange Programme (TYEP): The Programme is being organised every year in
collaboration with and funding from the Ministry of Home Affairs. In this Programme, tribal youth are
taken to other parts of the country to sensitize them to rich cultural heritage of the Country, to expose
them to development activities and to enable them to develop emotional linkage with the people in
other parts of the country.

• Adolescent Health and Development Project (AHDP): The Programme is being organised with funding
from UNFPA. The objective of the Project is to empower out-of-school adolescents with (i) life skills
focused experiential learning on reproductive and sexual health issues in a gendersensitive manner, (ii)
linkages with education and skills building institutions for better employability; and (iii) improved
access to youth friendly and gender-sensitive services in public and private sectors.

• Projects on Awareness and Education for Prevention of Drug Abuse and Alcoholism in Punjab : The
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, has sanctioned two Projects,
namely, (i) Project for sustaining the Pilot Project of Awareness and Education for the Prevention of
Drug Abuse and Alcoholism in 10 districts of Punjab (at a cost of ` 2.91 crores) and (ii) Project for
Awareness and Education for Prevention of Drug Abuse and Alcoholism in remaining 11 districts of
Punjab (at a cost of ` 3.27 crores), for implementation through NYKS.

3. National Service Scheme (NSS)

National Service Scheme (NSS) was introduced in 1969 with the primary objective of developing the personality
and character of the student youth through voluntary community service. ‘Education through Service’ is the
purpose of the NSS. The ideological orientation of the NSS is inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.

The precise nature of activities continues to evolve in response to the needs of the community. Some areas in
which NSS volunteers work are education, health, family welfare and sanitation, environment conservation,
social service programmes, programmes for improving the status of women, production-oriented programmes,
relief and rehabilitation during disasters/calamities, etc. Besides these Core activities, NSS volunteers also
participate in other important activities like Republic Day Parade Camps,
Adventure camps, NSS Mega Camps and North East NSS Festivals, ‘Suvichar’ and ‘Youth Convention’ events
during the National Youth Festival, SelfDefence Training for NSS volunteers etc.

As on 31.03.2015, NSS had about 36.42 lakh volunteers on its rolls spread over 351 Universities, 16,056
Colleges/ Technical Institutions and 12,004 Senior Secondary Schools. Since inception, over 4.60 crore students
have benefited from NSS.

4. Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD)

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, is an ‘Institute of
National Importance’ under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. The RGNIYD set up in
1993 as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1975 was conferred the status of ‘Deemed University’
under ‘De-novo’ category in 2008. RGNIYD functions as a vital resource centre with its multi-faceted functions of
offering academic programmes at Post Graduate level encompassing various dimensions of youth development,
engaging in seminal research in the vital areas of youth development and conducting Training/ Capacity Building
Programmes in the area of youth development, besides the extension and outreach initiatives across the
country.

As the apex institute at the national level, it works in close cooperation with the NSS, NYKS and other youth
organizations in the country. The Vision of RGNIYD is to be a globally recognized and acclaimed centre of
academic excellence in the field of youth development.

5. National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development

(NPYAD)

National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD) is an “Umbrella Scheme” of the Ministry
of Youth Affairs and Sports under which financial assistance is provided to Government/ non-Government
organisations for taking up activities for youth and adolescent development. The Scheme is operational since 1st
April, 2008. The assistance under NPYAD is provided under 5 major components, namely,

a) Youth Leadership and Personality Development Training

b) Promotion of National Integration (National Integration Camps, Inter-State Youth Exchange
Programmes, Youth Festivals, multi-cultural activities, etc.) c) Promotion of Adventure; Tenzing Norgay National
Adventure Awards
d) Development and Empowerment of Adolescents (Life Skills Education,
Counselling, Career Guidance, etc.)
e) Technical and Resource Development (Research and Studies on Youth issues, Documentation, Seminars
/ Workshops)
The beneficiaries are youth in the age group of 15-29 years and Adolescents in the age group of 10-19 years.
During 2015-16 (upto 31.12.2015), total assistance of Rs.20.40 crores was given to various Organisations.

6. Youth Hostels

Youth Hostels are built to promote youth travel and to enable the young people to experience the rich cultural
heritage of the country. The construction of the Youth Hostels is a joint venture of the Central and State
Governments. While the Central Government bears the cost of construction, the State Governments provide
fully developed land free-of-cost, with water supply, electricity connection and approach roads. Youth Hostels
are located in areas of historical and cultural value, in educational centres, in tourist destinations, etc. Youth
Hostels provide good accommodation for the youth at reasonable rates.

So far, 83 Youth Hostels have been constructed across the country and one more youth hostel, at Roing
(Arunachal Pradesh) is in advanced stage of completion. Six Youth Hostels, namely, Agra (Uttar Pradesh),
Dalhousie (Himachal Pradesh), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Mysore (Karnataka), Panaji (Goa) and Puducherry have got
the ISO 9001:2008 Certification.

7. Assistance to Scouting and Guiding Organisations

The Scheme of Assistance to Scouting and Guiding Organisations was launched in the early 1980’s, to promote
the Scouts and Guides movement in the country. This is an international movement aimed at building character,
confidence, idealism and spirit of patriotism and service among young boys and girls. The activities, inter alia,
include programmes related to adult literacy, environment conservation, community service, health awareness
and promotion of hygiene and sanitation.

Under the Scheme, financial assistance is provided to scouting and guiding organisations for various
programmes such as organization of training camps, skill development programmes, holding of jamborees, etc.

C. Skill Development of Youth

8. MGNREGA

The Government has formulated a "Project for Livelihoods in Full Employment under Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Project LIFE-MGNREGA)" in April 2015 aiming at promoting self-reliance and
improving the skill base of MGNREGA workers, thereby, converting them from being asset-less, helpless,
unskilled workers dependent on Government support into fully employed entities with enhanced income.
9. DDU-GKY

Ministry of Rural Development is undertaking Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojna (DDU-GKY), a
placement linked Skill Development Scheme for rural youth under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).
The DDU-GKY primarily targets skilling of unemployed youth to improve their employability rather than to
creak/generate employment per se. DDU-GKY is uniquely focused onrural youth between the ages of 15 and 35
years from poor families. As a part of the Skill India campaign, it plays an instrumental role in supporting the
social and economic programs of the government like the Make In India, Digital India, Smart Cities and Start-Up
India, Stand-Up India campaigns. DDU-GKY is present in 21 States and UTs, across 568 districts, impacting youth
from over 6,215 blocks.

10. DAY-NRLM

Aajeevika - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development
(MoRD), Government of India in June 2011. The Mission aims at creating efficient and effective institutional
platforms of the rural poor, enabling them to increase household income through sustainable livelihood
enhancements and improved access to financial services. In November 2015, the program was renamed Deen
Dayal Antayodaya Yojana (DDAY-NRLM). The objectives are:

1. Creation of Productive Workforce: NRLM aims at reaching out to all the rural poor in the country (8 to 10
crore households), organize them into women S.H.Gs and stay engaged with them till they come out of
abject poverty. This objective is sought to be achieved through universal social mobilization by inter-alia
organizing one woman member from each rural poor household into Self Help Groups (SHGs), their
training and capacity building, facilitating their micro-livelihoods plans, and enabling them to implement
their livelihoods plans through accessing financial resources from their own institutions and the banks.
Women youth are central to the success of NRLM.

2. Strengthening and Diversifying Livelihoods: The central strategy of NRLM focuses on strengthening and
diversifying the livelihoods of the rural poor, including the youth, through provision of a combination of
technical and financial support services. Apart from providing funding support to the community
institutions in the form of Revolving Fund, Vulnerability Reduction Fund and Community Investment Fund
to the SHGs and their federations, the Mission seeks to promote credit linkage of all SHGs such that each
SHG is enable to access a bank loan of Rs. 10.00 lakh over a period of 6 to 8 years. In addition to financial
support, the Mission also provides different types of technical support to the households through Line
Departments, para livelihoods specialists and best practitioners drawn from the community.

3. Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP): In order to strengthen the existing livelihoods of the
poor, MKSP was launched in 2010-11, as a special programme for agri based livelihood enhancement. The
primary objective of the MKSP is to empower women in agriculture by making systematic investments to
enhance their participation and productivity, as also to create and sustain agriculture based livelihoods of
rural women. The project seeks to enable women to gain better access to the inputs and services
provided by the government and other agencies.

The total number of MKSP projects currently being implemented is 60 and are spread over 117 districts
across 15 states, targeting 33 lakh MahilaKisans, a significant proportion of whom are youth.

4. Skill Training and Placement Support: Skill development and placement support component of NRLM
directly targets youth in the age group of 1835 years. It aims at achieving a target of skilling 50 lakh rural
youth during XII five year plan period. The initiative aims at building the skills of rural youth and place
them in relatively high wage employment sectors of the economy. The programme is implemented in
partnership with private, community and non-governmental organizations.

5. Rural Entrepreneurship Development through RSETl: The Programme aims at promoting self-
employment among rural youth in collaboration with the Banks. RSETIs provide short term residential
training to rural youth along with long term handholding support to enable them to set up profitable
micro enterprises. Apart from managing RSETIs, the banks are expected to provide credit support to the
 trained youth to set up micro enterprises. The MORD provides a onetime grant of Rs.1.00 crore to each
RSETI towards capital cost, while the state governments are expected to provide land, free of cost. The
banks meet the cost of training youth in about 100 different types of skills.
6. Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP): Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme
(SEVP) aims to provide enormous opportunities to build upon the NRLM ecosystem that provides an
impulse to entrepreneurial pursuits. The long term vision of the SVEP is to provide support for start-up to
1 crore village enterprises and provide direct employment to 2 crore people. The SVEP shall help the rural
poor come out of poverty by helping them set up enterprises and provide support till the enterprises
stabilize. The programmatic intervention will address the three missing ecosystems- Knowledge, advisory
and finance ecosystems in the skill development.

7. Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) ‘Prime Minister’s Employment

Generation Programme (PMEGP)’ has been launched by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
in 2008-09 with the merging of the erstwhile Prime Minister Rojgar Yojana (PMRY) and Rural Employment
Generation Programme (REGP) schemes. PMEGP is a credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at
generating self- employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm
sector by helping traditional artisans and unemployed youth.

The main objectives of the PMEGP are:

(i) To generate employment opportunities in rural as well as urban areas;
(ii) To bring together widely dispersed traditional artisans/ rural and urban unemployed youth and give
them self-employment opportunities to the extent possible, at their place;
(iii) To provide continuous and sustainable employment to a large segment of traditional and prospective
artisans and rural & urban unemployed youth; and
(iv) To increase the wage earning capacity of artisans.

Any activity (except those in the negative list.) can be taken up under PMEGP, broadly in the areas as
mentioned below:

i. Agro Based Food Processing Industry (ABFPI)

ii. Forest Based Industry (FBI)
iii. Mineral Based Industry (MBI)
iv. Polymer & Chemical Based Industry (PCBI)
v. Rural Engineering & Bio-Technology Industry (REBTI)
vi. Hand Made Paper & Fibre Industry (HMPFI), and
vii. Service & Textile Industry

Source: Ministry of Rural Development

At national level, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is the single Nodal Agency for
implementation of PMEGP and at the State level, the Scheme is implemented through State Directorates of
KVIC; State Khadi and Village Industries Boards (KVIBs) and District Industries Centres of State Governments.

8. Enterprise and Skill Development

The Office of Development Commissioner of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises conducts a large
number of vocational and entrepreneurship development programmes. The Entrepreneurship Development
Programmes (EDPs) are conducted through MSME- Development Institutes, with focus on entrepreneurial skills
development coupled with specific skills relating to trades like electronics, electrical, food processing, etc, which
enables the trainees to start their own ventures. The programe includes the following :-

(i) Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDPs):- Entrepreneurship Development Programmes are

being organized regularly to nurture the talent of youth by enlightening them on various aspects of industrial
activity required for setting up Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs). These EDPs are generally conducted in ITIs,
Polytechnics and other technical institutions, where skill is available to motivate them towards self-
employment. The course contents of such Entrepreneurship Development Programmes are designed to provide
useful information on product/process design, manufacturing practices involved, testing and quality control,
selection and usage of appropriate machinery and equipments, project profile preparation, marketing
avenues/techniques, product/service pricing, export opportunities, infrastructure facilities available, financial
and financial institutions, cash flow, etc.

(ii) Entrepreneurial Skill Development Programme (ESDP):Comprehensive training programmes are

organized to upgrade skills of prospective entrepreneurs, existing workforce and also develop skills of new
workers and technicians of MSEs by organising various technical cum skill development training programmes
with the basic objectives to provide training for their skill upgradation and to equip them with better and
improved technological skills of production. The specific tailor made programmes for the skill development of
socially disadvantaged groups (OBC, ST, ST, Minorities and women) are organized in various regions of the
states, including the less developed areas. This programme covers training across 60 disciplines.
(iii) Management Development Programmes (MDPs):- The objective is to improve the decision-making
capabilities of existing & potential entrepreneurs resulting in higher productivity and profitability. These
programmes are of short duration and the curriculum is designed based on the needs of the industry and can
be customized, if required by the clients. 20% of the targeted training programmes are conducted exclusively
for the weaker sections of the Society (SC/ST/Women/Physically Handicapped), for which no fee is charged who
are paid a stipend of Rs.500/- p.m. also. During 2008-09, a total of 2400 training programmes were conducted
and around 60,000 persons were trained.

(iv) Industrial Motivation Campaigns (IMCs):-Industrial Motivation Campaigns (of 1 to 2 days) are
organized to identify and motivate traditional / non-traditional entrepreneurs having potential for setting up
MSEs so as to lead them towards self-employment.

(v) Vocational and Educational Training:-The Regional Testing Centres,

Field Testing Stations and Autonomous bodies like Tool Rooms and Technology Development Centres (TDCs) of
the Ministry of MSME conduct long term, short term, trade/field-specific and industry-specific tailor-made
courses as well as vocational training programmes.

13. Assistance to Training Institutions (ATI) Scheme

The Scheme envisages financial assistance for establishment of new institutions (EDIs), strengthening the
infrastructure of the existing EDIs and for supporting entrepreneurship and skill development activities. The
main objectives of the scheme are development of indigenous entrepreneurship from all walks of life for
developing new micro and small enterprises, enlarging the entrepreneurial base and encouraging self-
employment in rural as well as urban areas, by providing training to first generation entrepreneurs and assisting
them in setting up of enterprises.

Under the scheme, assistance is provided to existing and new training Institutions for establishment of
Entrepreneurship.
Development Institute (EDI) and strengthening of their training infrastructure on a matching basis.

The assistance is for creation of infrastructure. The land is to be provided by the State Government or any other
institution or by the applicant. Financial

Source: 1. Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)

2. MSME Annual Report 2015-16

assistance is for construction of building, purchase of training aids/equipments, office equipments, computers
and for providing other support services e.g. libraries/data bases etc.

Assistance is also provided under the Scheme to existing Training Institutions, for conducting Entrepreneurship
Development Programmes (EDPs) and Entrepreneurship cum Skill Development Programmes (ESDPs) and
Training of Trainers (ToTs) programmes in the areas of Entrepreneurship and/or Skill Development. Such
Institutes can be:
i) National level EDIs (including branches),
ii) Training Institutions established by Partner Institutions (PIs) of national level
EDIs, iii) Training/Incubation Centres of NSIC,
iv) Training cum Incubation Centres (TICs) set up by Franchisees of NSIC, and v) Other Training institutions with
proven professional competency,

14.Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) launched on 15 July,
2015, on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship (MSDE). PMKVY is implemented by National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) under the
guidance of MSDE. With a vision of a Skilled India, MSDE aims to skill India on a large scale with speed and high
standards. The objective of this Skill Certification Scheme is to enable a large number of Indian youth to take up
industry-relevant skill training that will help them in securing a better livelihood. Individuals with prior learning
experience or skills will also be assessed and certified under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Under this
Scheme, Training and Assessment fees are completely paid by the Government. Government has now approved
the Scheme for another four years (2016-2020) to impart skilling to 10 million youth of the country.

15.UDAAN
Udaan is a Special Industry Initiative for Jammu & Kashmir in the nature of partnership between the corporates
of India and Ministry of Home Affairs and implemented by National Skill Development Corporation. The
programme aims to provide skills training and enhance the employability of unemployed youth of J&K. The
Scheme covers graduates, post graduates and three year engineering diploma holders.

Source: Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH
United Nation's initiatives in providing for a frame-work for policy formulation wherein Youth finds a special
place, had helped many developing nations to focus on this segment of the population. While the Member
States of the UN acknowledged the importance of Youth Policy initiatives in 1965 when they endorsed the
Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between
Peoples, UNESCO had initiated programs of action for youth since 1946. Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights set the international Agenda for recognition and observance by member Nations, NGOs and
Youth Movements in the General Assembly resolution 2307(XX) of 7 December 1965, namely Declaration on
Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples.

Later, the UN General Assembly observed 1985, as International Youth Year with theme 'Participation,
Development and Peace'. It drew international attention to the important role young people play in the world,
in particular, their potential contribution to development and the goals of the United Nations Charter. That
same year, the General Assembly also endorsed the guidelines for further planning and suitable follow-up in the
field of policy planning for youth, which are significant for their focus on young people as a broad category
comprising various subgroups, rather than a single demographic entity.

On occasion of the tenth anniversary of International Youth Year in 1995, the United Nations
strengthened its commitment to young people by directing the inter national community's response to the
challenges youth face in the next millennium. It did this by adopting an international strategy - the World
Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond (WPAY). This World Programme seeks to make
Governments more responsive to the aspirations of youth for a better world, as well as to the demands of
youth to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

In December 2009, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 64/134 proclaiming the Year of
Youth, signifying the importance the international community places on integrating youth-related issues into
global, regional, and national development agendas. Under the theme Dialogue and Mutual Understanding,
the International Year of Youth was celebrated from 12 August 2010 to 11 August 2011.

The United Nations Programme on Youth serves as the focal point on youth at the UN. It undertakes a range of
activities to promote youth development including supporting intergovernmental policy-making, conducting
analytical research and increasing the effectiveness of the UN’s work in youth development by strengthening
collaboration and exchange among UN entities through the Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development
(IANYD). This network established in February 2010 consists of representatives identified by the Heads of UN
entities whose work is relevant to youth issues.

United Nations continue to identify youth as one of its top priorities and accordingly established the Office of
the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth in 2013. Its first-ever Envoy on Youth was appointed in January 2013
with a mandate to harmonize the UN system efforts on youth development, enhance the UN response to youth
needs, advocate for addressing the development needs and rights of young people, as well as to bring the work
of the United Nations with and for youth closer to them. The overall priorities of the Office of the UN
Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth are guided by the priority areas of the World Programme of Action for
Youth and the priority areas of the UN System Wide Action Plan on Youth.

The detailed information about the United Nations agencies and their specific youth-related mandates
and objectives and their operational programs is given below.
 1. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Division

The DESA Focal Point on Youth is part of the Social Integration Branch, which falls within the Division for Social
Policy and Development (DSPD) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) in the United Nations
Secretariat. The mandate of the Focal Point on Youth is predominantly based on the World Programme of Action
for Youth. It has been set up to: enhance awareness of the global situation of youth and increase recognition of
the rights and aspirations of youth ; promote national youth policies, national youth coordinating mechanisms
and national youth programmes of action as integral parts of social and economic development, in cooperation
with both governmental and non-governmental organizations; and strengthen the participation of youth in
decision-making processes at all levels in order to increase their impact on national development and
international cooperation.

The United Nations Department of Economic Social Affairs Youth Focal Point presents a number of opportunities
for young people to engage with the UN System, specifically through the Youth Delegate Programme by
inclusion of youth delegates in a country’s official delegation to the United Nations General Assembly and
various functional Commissions of the Economic and Social Council.

2. UN Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT)

UN-Habitat seeks to improve the livelihoods of youth, especially those living in slums and unplanned
settlements, through their inclusion in governance and the social and economic life of cities. UN-
Habitat works towards this by profiling and engaging young people in global, national and local
development policy processes.

The UN-Habitat Urban Youth Fund supports urban youth in developing countries. It aims to advance
the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the Habitat Agenda. The Youth Fund
provides grants of up to USD 25,000 to youth-led organizations piloting innovative approaches to
employment, good governance, shelter and secure tenure.UN-Habitat has undertaken extensive
research on both the recipients of the fund, which now total over 200 from 60+ countries in the
developing world, and applicants. Many of the project ideas have been aimed at alleviating poverty,
improving employment opportunities, improving the environment and increasing youth
participation in decision-making. The fund promotes the poverty-reduction aims of the Millennium
Development Goals, and the Habitat Agenda for better, more sustainable and equitable towns and
cities throughout the developing world.

3. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a development agency on the ground in 177
countries and territories, seeks to help empower lives and build resilient nations. UNDP is
increasingly supporting youth policy and programming at the country, regional and global levels.
Interventions range from full-fledged “youth programmes” to discrete “youth components” in the
context of mainstream development programmes, covering a variety of different areas.

UNDP’s important youth portfolios are:

• supporting governments and national counterparts in developing and implementing

National Youth Policies ;
• promoting skill building and employment generation for youth, both short- and long- term ;
• supporting youth participation in politics and decision-making
• supporting youth involvement in oversight and accountability
mechanisms
• supporting community action for integration of marginalized, minority and at-risk youth
• promoting peace-building and cross-community reconcillation among young people
• promoting civic engagement and youth volunteerism, in particular through supporting the
creation of National Youth Volunteer Services

UNDP’s first Youth Strategy 2014-2017, “Empowered Youth, Sustainable Future” engages
young people as a positive force for transformational change. The strategy inter-alia consist
of:
 a. Ten guiding principles: human rights, gender equality, sustainability, national ownership
and leadership, participation, innovation, South-South cooperation, volunteerism, inter-
generational knowledge-sharing and working by, with and for young people; and

b. Four-pronged approach: capacity development, advocacy and mainstreaming, thought

leadership, and national policy.

This is the first organization-wide strategy that explicitly states UNDP’s commitment to youth. The
main expected outcomes of the strategy are threefold viz. (1) increased economic empowerment of
youth; (2) enhanced youth civic engagement and participation in decision-making and political
processes and institutions; and (3) strengthened youth engagement in resilience building;

4. United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP)

UNEP began its work with young people in 1985, which was designated International Youth Year.
Since then, UNEP has developed several global and regional initiatives, activities and networks. It has
organized regular conferences for young people and promoted environmental awareness through
competitions, recognition programs and partnerships with national, regional and international young
people’s organizations. In February 2003, the Governing Council of UNEP adopted a long-term
strategy for engaging young people in environmental activities and in the work of UNEP. The
strategy was entitled the Tunza Youth Strategy. The overall Tunza Concept, aims to create a global
movement in which children and Youth will actively participate in sustainable development. The
initiative is meant to develop activities in the areas of capacity building, environmental awareness,
and information exchange, with a vision to foster a generation of environmentally conscious citizens,
capable of positive action.

Part of this strategy include the annual Tunza International Children and Youth Conference, Tunza
Youth Advisory Council, Tunza Junior Board and a quarterly Tunza magazine. Under the overall
concept of Tunza, the 25th session of the Governing Council in February 2009 adopted the second
long-term UNEP strategy for the engagement of young people in environmental issues. The
Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU) is responsible for the implementation of
Environmental Education and Training activities in UNEP.

5. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

To empower young people and to enable them to become drivers of change, UNFPA aims to:
• Understand the conditions facing vulnerable, marginalized adolescents, using data from
censuses, demographic and health surveys, and other sources; • Bring together governments, civil
society, donors, the private sector and youth-led organizations to advocate for more investment in
young people as a development priority;
• Build the skills of young leaders and involve young people and youth-led organizations in
policymaking and programming;
• Support independent, effective and sustainable organizations led by young people,
especially marginalized adolescents, to advocate for their human rights and development priorities.
 6. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Voices of Youth (VOY) is an Internet site created by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for
young people. VOY was founded in 1995 for young people to learn more about issues affecting their
world. It was recently redesigned for a more modern youth audience to share their thoughts and
opinions with thousands of people from all over the world and also discuss social issues such as
Education, Environment or Violence and Conflict and inform themself about HIV/AIDS, Health or
Human Rights.

Voices of Youth Connect: Voices of Youth Connect promotes cross-cultural interactions between
adolescents from different countries, helping them learn to work together, develop their
communication and computer skills, define and articulate their positions on global advocacy issues,
and become engaged global citizens. Voices of Youth Connect aims to provide youth who are
excluded from the global debate with the skills and access to knowledge, methods and tools they
need to realize their rights and make an impact on their communities.

Voices of Youth Citizens: Voices of Youth Citizens gathers timely and relevant information to help
young people, policymakers and the public at large understand the opportunities and risks that
social media and digital tools present to young people. Voices of Youth Citizens is focused on young
people from many different countries around the world. The Voices of Youth Citizens project has
three important stages. First, they survey the digital landscape in each country – looking at how
many young people have access, which platforms and activities are the most popular, and what the
risks and opportunities are for young users.

Voices of Youth Maps: For youth living in vulnerable communities, Voices of Youth Maps provides a
tailored technology platform to help enhance critical thinking skills, create targeted maps and
facilitate communication about their living conditions. Through a guided process and training, youth
are empowered to use social and other digital media to confront important issues in their
communities and advocate for change. Through participatory trainings and activities, Voices of Youth
Maps enables young people to collect actionable data on issues affecting their communities. Young
people are introduced to the concept of digital mapping and its use for youth empowerment and
community change. They receive instructions on the use of UNICEF-GIS – an information gathering
platform that produces maps and visual reports on youth-related issues through Web and mobile
applications.

7. United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

The UNAIDS Secretariat’s Youth Programme works with youth-led and youth-serving organizations,
with a particular emphasis on young people living with HIV and young key populations at higher risk,
to create broad alliances for social change within the HIV and broader health and development
agendas.

Recognizing the importance of youth leadership and engagement in the HIV response, UNAIDS
launched an open and democratic online policy process, CrowdOutAIDS, using social media and
crowd-sourcing technology, in October 2011. The process enabled more than 5,000 young people
around the world to participate and take part in shaping UNAIDS’s youth agenda. Leveraging the
new generation’s thirst for innovation, progressive change and creativity, the Secretariat’s new
programme aims to help young people achieve the bold targets from the 2011 Political Declaration
on HIV and AIDS by increasing youth leadership, ownership, and mobilization in the HIV response by
2015 and beyond.

The UNAIDS Youth Programme is guided by the UNAIDS Agenda for Social Action in the AIDS
Response which builds on previous work, including CrowdOutAIDS. It has four main objectives:
Strengthening young people’s leadership skills and ability to operate in a framework that advances
human rights and gender equality;

8. International Labour Organisation (ILO)

The ILO focuses on advancing opportunities for young women and men to obtain decent and
productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. The ILO has a special
role to play in the global response to the current worsening and unprecedented youth employment
crisis. Its tripartite constituency together with its global alliances offer the global reach needed to
catalyze support and action on youth employment. At the national level, ILO’s dialogue and alliances
with civil society, public and private sectors and youth support the development of youth
employment policies and programmes. At the international level, the ILO’s leading role in the UN
Secretary-General’s Youth Employment Network (YEN)- a global partnership of the World Bank, the
United Nations and the ILO- provides a major opportunity to build international consensus and
influence the international agenda with a comprehensive strategy for the employment and social
inclusion of young people.
The ILO’S Programme on Youth Employment Programme (YEP) was established in 2005 to address
the global development goal and national challenges of providing young people with decent work
opportunities. Through an integrated approach, it provides a wide array of services, including
research, promotional activities, policy advice and technical assistance to support ILO constituents
(governments, employers and workers organizations). The Programme operates through a global
network of technical teams at its headquarters in Geneva and in more than 60 offices around the
world, providing assistance to countries in developing coherent and coordinated interventions on
youth employment.

The Work4Youth Project (W4Y) is a five-year partnership between the ILO and MasterCard
Foundation that aims to promote decent work opportunities for young people facing a worsening
jobs crisis marked by high unemployment, working poverty and youth discouragement. Work4Youth
is an example of Public Private Partnership between ILO and MasterCard Foundation who were able
to find commonalities in their respective missions in the area of youth employment. Work4Youth
aims to increase the global awareness of the challenges facing young people as they move from
education to the world of work. It supports the improvement of youth employment policy making
and programme development worldwide.

In May 2013 the ILO launched an online space for young people from around the world to share
experience and ideas on achieving decent work for youth. The Decent Work for Youth platform
follows up on the 2012 ILO Youth Employment Forum, which brought together over 100 young
leaders in Geneva to discuss responses to the youth employment crisis. Users of the interactive site
can connect and engage with online debates moderated by young people working on youth
employment; share their experiences and ideas of good employment practice and learn more about
Decent Work by asking questions directly to ILO experts.

9. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Under FAO’s new Strategic Objectives, support targeted at youth is a priority area. FAO has
designated a youth Focal Point in each of its regional and country offices, responsible for
coordinating regional and national actions for and with youth. Mechanisms to incorporate youth
concerns and voices in international processes are also provided: for example, since 2010, youth has
been recognized as a constituency in the Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) of the intergovernmental
Committee on World Food Security (CFS), hosted by FAO.

FAO provides a vast range of educational materials for children and young people, their teachers and
facilitators, including:

• The Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger portal, which is packed with information and games for
interested young people on different issues of global importance.
• Resources on School Gardening, aimed at schools or youth groups eager to grow some
crops and learn about farming.
• The Education for Rural People (ERP) website, which aims to bridge the divide between
urban-rural knowledge, education and training. The ERP Tool Kit targets rural youth
professionals, volunteer leaders and young people with relavant trainings, publications
such as handbooks, guides, training modules and curriculum materials.
In order to help address these specific needs of vulnerable rural youth in developing countries, FAO
and ILO have jointly developed the Junior Farmer Field and Life School (JFFLS) programme. The goal
of the JFFLS is to empower vulnerable youth, and provide them with the employment and livelihood
options needed for long-term food security while reducing their vulnerability to destitution and
offering them risk coping strategies. The strength of the JFFLS programme is its unique learning
methodology and curriculum, which combines agricultural, life and entrepreneurship skills in an
experiential and participatory learning approach uniquely suited to rural communities and low
literacy levels. Since 2004, the JFFLS programme has trained over 25 000 people in 25 countries.

Hosted by FAO since its foundation in 2009, the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA)
acts as a gateway to allow children and youth to participate in the activities and initiatives of the
United Nations. YUNGA partners collaborate to produce the YUNGA Challenge Badge and Youth
Guide series, which aim to raise awareness, educate and, most of all, motivate young people to
change their behaviour and become active agents of change in their local communities.

10.United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO)
Youth have always been a major focus in UNESCO’s programmes. Since its creation -and its
mandated mission regarding education- UNESCO was the first agency of the United Nations System
to define and develop specific programmes for young people. UNESCO’s longstanding commitment
to youth has taken a new impetus with the recognition of youth as a priority group for the
Organisation’s action and the UNESCO Strategy for Action with and for Youth in 1998. UNESCO
understands that young people are a heterogeneous group in constant evolution and that the
experience of “being young” varies enormously across regions and within countries. Young people’s
experiences are heavily conditioned by their environment (urban or rural) and degree of exposure to
certain risks and related stigma, depending on sex, place of residence, sociocultural context,
economic circumstances and marital status. The overall objective of UNESCO’s work on youth is to
ensure that young women and men are engaged in policies and programmes affecting them and
lead action to promote peace and sustainable development in their countries and communities. As
such, the organisation promotes the civic engagement of young people as means of empowerment
and preventing violence. UNESCO’s cross-cutting approach focuses on building skills for successful
transitions to adulthood (including advocacy, employability and leadership skills); raising awareness
of crucial issues for youth development (such as HIV/AIDS); and providing youth with opportunities
to engage in development and building peace.

UNESCO has developed an Operational Strategy on Youth 2014-2021 which recognises youth as
agents of change, social transformations, peace and sustainable development. The Strategy
proposes three complementary and transversal axes of work on which UNESCO’s work on youth will
focus:

• UNESCO will accompany Member-States in building an enabling environment for youth

development through the formulation or review of inclusive and integrated public policies
on youth, with the participation of youth.

• UNESCO will work with Member States and youth development actors, including youth
organisations, young researchers, teachers and trainers, to contribute to building capacities
and improving the educational and learning environment for youth to acquire skills and
competencies for the transition to adulthood.

• UNESCO will provide opportunities for youth to put their skills and competencies to
practice for the benefit of their communities and their peers, by supporting youth civic
engagement, particularly in terms of youth participation in decision-making and democratic
consolidation, youth community leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as
youth engagement in conflict prevention and in the consolidation of peace.

11.United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

UNV has been promoting the role of youth in development since 1976, and it has extensive expertise
in youth volunteer placement. Many UNV projects already involve a large number of young people.
In 2011, 23 per cent of all UN Volunteers and 62 per cent of all UN Online Volunteers were below the
age of thirty. On 25 January 2012, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the United
Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme to create a specific youth volunteers programme. Since then,
UNDP, UNV and the UN Inter-Agency Network on Youth (IANYD) hav been engaging with youth-led
networks, international volunteer sending organizations, national volunteering and civil society
organizations, and UN agencies to develop, design and implement the UN Youth Volunteers
Programme. The new youth volunteers initiative aims to ensure leadership of youth volunteerism
within the UN and enhance global partnerships with youth volunteering partners. The programme is
based on the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Five-Year Action Agenda which seeks to empower
the largest generation of young people the world has ever known to realize their full social,
economic and human potential and to gain a strong sense of civic engagement to bring about
transformational change in their communities.

12. United Nations alliance of civilizations (UNAOC)

The UNAOC Youth Program works with a vast array of youth-led NGOs, youth-serving NGOs,
governments, regional and multilateral organizations and UN agencies. In addition, the UNAOC
Youth Program works with its Youth Advisory Committee whose role is to support the development
and implementation of the UNAOC Youth Program, conduct outreach in their respective locations to
promote and enhance the work of the UNAOC, attract new partners, and contribute to the content
of the Youth Website.

The long-term vision of the UNAOC Youth Programming is that at all levels of action and decision-
making, youth are seen as key actors and stakeholders in efforts to foster cross-cultural
understanding. To support this vision, UNAOC implements many initiatives. The Youth Solidarity
Fund (YSF) provides seed funding to outstanding youth-led initiatives that promote longterm
constructive relationships between people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. The YSF
supports the development of young peoples’ organizations and other means for their work to have
an even broader and deeper impact and to be expanded.

13. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. Established in 1997
through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for
International Crime Prevention, UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive
network of field offices. UNODC is mandated to assist Member States in their struggle against illicit
drugs, crime and terrorism. UNODC mission is to empower and connect youth from around the
globe to become active in their schools, communities and youth groups for the prevention of
substance abuse and to help equip young people with resources and opportunities to help them
make the best decisions for themselves and impact their communities on issues related to drugs.

Every year UNODC promote drug prevention in many countries all around the world. Every year,
UNODC Youth Initiative gathers the most active youth engaged in drug use prevention and health
promotion from around the globe, involved in the Youth Initiative, to exchange ideas and visions on
how to better protect the health and wellbeing of their peers, and support them in conveying their
message to the global level policy makers.

14. UN Department of Public Information (DPI)

DPI manages an extensive network that includes its UN Information Centres, NGOs, and academic
institutions, which are essential partners in reaching out to a youth audience. In addition, DPI is
increasingly using social Media to deliver information to youth about UN events and the work of the
UN. Finally, it offers multiple opportunities throughout the year for youth to participate in live
interactions with senior UN officials, including the SecretaryGeneral, Messengers of Peace and other
youth who are active in searching for solutions to global problems.

15.The World Programme of Action for Youth

The World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) provides a policy framework and practical
guidelines for national action and international support to improve the situation of young people. It
contains proposals for action, aiming at fostering conditions and mechanisms to promote improved
well-being and livelihoods among young people. The WPAY focuses in particular on measures to
strengthen national capacities in the field of youth and to increase the quality and quantity of
opportunities available to young people for full, effective and constructive participation in society.

In its original form, the World Programme of Action for Youth outlined 10 priority areas to be
addressed; however, at the ten-year review of the implementation of the World Programme of
Action for Youth, Member States agreed to the addition of five additional issue areas. These were
expanded upon in a Supplement, which was adopted in 2007. The fifteen priority areas identified by
the international community are education, employment, hunger and poverty, health, environment,
drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, leisure-time activities, girls and young women , full and effective
participation of youth in the life of society and in decision-making, globalization, Information and
communications technology , HIV/AIDS , armed conflict and intergenerational issues. Together these
15 issue areas and their related plans of action are what is understood to comprise the World
Programme of Action for Youth, which guides policy and action in the area of youth development.

Special Initiatives on Youth Education:

Education comes first among the 15 priorities identified by the World Programme of Action for
Youth. In doing so, they highlighted the need for ‘improving the level of basic education, skill training
and literacy among all youth, including young women and youth in distressed circumstances’. In
addition, at the World Education Forum (Dakar, Senegal, 2000), 164 governments pledged to achieve
“Education for All” (EFA) by launching a world movement to meet the basic learning needs of all
children, youth and adults.

The United Nations primarily concentrates its efforts in education in five key areas: promoting policy
dialogue, monitoring progress, carrying out advocacy, developing capacities and mobilizing funding.
To achieve its aims, the United Nations promotes education through many instruments, agencies
and funds, including through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Bank.