World Bank officials have clearly stated the need to engage with youth as a means to foster peace, participation and economic growth in developing countries. And as the post-2015 development agenda comes to fruition, youth is gearing up to become a major priority for the United Nations and other development actors.
But within the new World Bank structure, “youth” as a development priority is hidden — neither featured as a unit, a global practice, nor even a crosscutting solutions area the way climate change, jobs and gender are — leaving some youth champions within the bank concerned about the institution’s future relationship with young people.
“It is indeed surprising that in our reorganization we have few cutting solutions [focused on youth],” Gloria La Cava, senior social scientist at the World Bank and co-coordinator for the institution’s Middle East and North Africa region youth program told Devex.
About the author
Jeff Tyson@jtyson21
Jeff is a former global development reporter for Devex. Based in Washington, D.C., he covers multilateral affairs, U.S. aid, and international development trends. He has worked with human rights organizations in both Senegal and the U.S., and prior to joining Devex worked as a production assistant at National Public Radio. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in international relations and French from the University of Rochester.
