Youth Employment Programs - Independent Evaluation Group

Acceptance byManagementManagement ResponseRegarding the fourth bullet, by definition, IFC’s investments in highereducation (over 2/3 of the portfolio) will target the employability ofyouth. IFC will continue to measure ‘access to education’ as a mainproxy of impact. In addition, IFC will pilot measurements of the directimpact of education investments on employability and quality and exploreopportunities to conduct impact evaluations in a select numberof projects aimed at addressing youth employment issues.Monitoring impacts of all youth employment targeted projects willrequire further analysis with respect to costs and benefits. Trackingage-related job creation in every project could prove very burdensomeon our clients. At the same time, as we are learning from our ongoingjobs study, measuring job creation at the firm level provides onlya partial picture since the bulk of the jobs provided are outside thefirms through indirect and induced employment. 4 As we continue tolearn from the jobs study and from our ongoing youth employmentinitiatives, and if the benefits will outweigh the costs, IFC couldconsider monitoring impact on youth employment at the firm level forfuture youth employment targeted projects.World Bank: AgreeWorld Bank: The Bank agrees that to better assist client countrieswith the most effective interventions to address the constraintsfacing young people in their entry to the labor market, whether fromthe demand or the supply side, will require greater cross-sectoral collaborationwithin the whole World Bank Group, as well as with otherpartners and donors. Although a comprehensive approach is to berecommended generally, it must be recognized that in some circumstancesa more targeted approach via a focused investment projectmay be needed to overcome a particular bottleneck.In client countries where youth employment is a concern, managementplans to continue to engage with partners, including IFC, asappropriate to identify and address the binding constraints facingyoung people and to provide analytical support to help client countriesdesign interventions aimed at alleviating these constraints andfacilitating the labor market entry of youth. In these cases, managementplans to advocate for the inclusion of low-income youth amongthe target groups of youth-employment interventions, including whenthis requires a focused investment project. At least two regions, MENAand Africa (AFR), are preparing regional studies on youth and jobs,which we expect will facilitate the dialogue with partners and fostercross-sectoral collaboration on youth employment issues.IFC: AgreeIFC: Regarding the first bullet, on the demand side, IFC will continueto contribute to World Bank Group objectives in this regard throughits financing and advisory support for private sector investments thatprovide direct, indirect and induced employment opportunities to theunderserved, including youth and women.Management Response xxvii