Contents:
Foreword xi ;
Acknowledgments xiii;
Methodological Note xv;
Abbreviations and Data Notes xvi;
Overview 1 Invest in young people—now 2;
Investments during youth’s fi ve life transitions 5;
Policies should focus not only on youth’s opportunities but also their capabilities and second chances 10;
Policies to broaden opportunities 11
Policies that enhance capabilities: Youth as decision makers 15;
Policies to offer second chances 19;
Moving forward 21;
Part I Why now, and how? 25;
1 Youth, poverty reduction, and growth 26;
Young people are critical to further progress with poverty reduction and growth 27;
How the challenges confronting young people have changed 31;
Do numbers matter? How demographic changes affect opportunities for youth 33;
How prepared are youth for today’s challenges? A glass half empty 36;
What should policy makers focus on? The fi ve transitions 39;
Spotlight: Differing demographics 43;
2 Opportunities, capabilities, second chances: ;
A framework for policy 45;
Broadening opportunities 46;
Developing the capabilities of young people as decision-making agents 53;
Offering second chances 59;
Spotlight: A gender fi lter on the youth lens 65;
Part II Transitions 67;
3 Learning for work and life 68;
Educational preparation of youth for work and life is low 68;
A solid foundation: Improving the readiness for postprimary education 71;
Enhancing postprimary education opportunities 72;
Better education choices by young people 81;
Offering second chances 89;
Spotlight: Vietnamese youth: Managing prosperity 94;
4 Going to work 96;
Youth challenges in the labor market 96;
What makes youth vulnerable in the labor market? 103;
Broadening labor market opportunities 106;
Choosing to work and developing the skills to do so 111;
Providing a springboard to reintegrate the most vulnerable 114;
Spotlight: Do baby booms lead to employment busts? Not in OECD countries 120;
5 Growing up healthy 122;
Promoting the health of young people stimulates growth and reduces poverty and health care expenditures 123;
Public intervention is needed to promote youth health 124;
Strengthening young people’s capability to practice healthy behavior 129;
Enhancing opportunities to make healthy choices 135;
What if prevention fails? Helping young people deal with the adverse consequences of poor health behavior or misfortune 137;
Spotlight: Addressing disparities among Brazil’s youth 142;
6 Forming families 144;
Preparing for family formation is good for growth and poverty reduction 144;
Preparation for family formation is poor 147;
Providing opportunities for youth to prepare for parenthood 151;
Strengthening young people’s decision-making capabilities to prepare for parenthood 153;
Supporting those who become mothers at an early age 156;
7 Exercising citizenship 160;
Youth participation: Rising, declining, or both? 161;
What youth citizenship means for adult citizenship and development 164;
Opportunities for political participation and active citizenship 167;
Acquiring an identity and a sense of belonging 172;
Young people need legally recognized second chances 178;
Spotlight: Rebuilding lives and institutions in Sierra Leone 185;
Part III Across transitions and next steps 187;
8 Moving and communicating across borders 188;
Youth and international migration 188;
Youth and the global fl ow of information and ideas 201;
Spotlight: What donors can do 209;
9 Youth policy: Doing it and getting it right 211;
Youth policy priorities vary by country context 212;
Youth policy often fails young people 214;
Getting it right—by developing a coherent framework and integrating it with national policy 215;
Getting it right—by listening to young people 219;
Getting it right—through monitoring and evaluation 221;
Spotlight: It’s up to you(th)—taking action for development 225;
Bibliographical note 227;
Endnotes 229;
References 243;
Selected indicators 271Technical notes 283;
Selected world development indicators 285;
Data sources and methodology 285;
Classifi cation of economies and summary measures 285;
Terminology and country coverage 286;
Technical notes 286;
Index 305.