International Youth Day: Take Notice
In honor of the International Youth Day, here are ten alarming facts about youth and why we can't underestimate the need for decision makers (governments, the business community, and international organizations) to have a sense of urgency, to help foster collaboration and ensure youth are able to fully participate in society.
Fun Fact: There are nearly 1.8 billion young people in the world, which is the largest youth population in written history.
- More than 263 million young people are out of school and millions more are receiving a piss poor education.
- Approximately 238 million youth live in extreme poverty—that is, they live on less than $1 a day; 462 million youth survive on less than $2 a day.
- 110 million youth live in hunger.
- About 255 million young people live in the 19 countries with the largest poverty gaps; 15 of these 19 countries are in sub-Saharan Africa.
- About 133 million youth in the world are illiterate.
- Youth comprise 41 percent of the world's unemployed people.
- 50% of the jobs we are training young people, will not exist when they enter the workforce.
- 75 million youth are unemployed
- Youth make up 40% of the world's unemployed population
- Worldwide some 200,000 homicides occur among youth 10–29 years of age each year, which is 43% of the total number of homicides globally each year.