October 17 is End Poverty Day (EPD), which presents a unique opportunity to bring attention to World Bank Africa’s goal to end extreme poverty in countries throughout the region.
This year’s EPD event will focus on Africa’s young people, connecting them with World Bank staff and development specialists via VC from Bank offices in more than 30 countries for a discussion on “Africa’s Youth and the Future of Work.”
In a recent blog highlighting the importance of this subject, World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim, noted:
“…the pace of innovation is accelerating, and the jobs of the future – in a few months or a few years – will require specific, complex skills. Human capital will become an ever more valuable resource. In short, the changing nature of work – and how best to prepare people for the jobs of the future – are some of the toughest challenges countries face…”
With most African economies plagued by high unemployment and as many as 11 million young people set to enter the labor market each year, this event aims to stimulate candid conversations that will motivate policy makers, private business and development partners to develop strategies that will better position young people to find good jobs.
The discourse will be driven by content and analysis of the 2018 Poverty and Shared Prosperity report, the World Development Report as well as the upcoming Human Capital Index, and a report on Social Safety Nets in Africa. Topics will include the digital economy, disruptive technology and skills development in a changing workplace.
The event will also serve as the platform to launch the region’s first Blog4Dev competition, an invitation for Africans ages 18-28 to share their views on the changing workforce, and how to best prepare for the jobs of the future.