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At a Glance

• In most developing regions, the child and youth population is either at its historic peak or is still growing.
  
  
• Childhood and the youth years are the foundation for human development.
  
  
• Failing to invest in children and youth costs societies billions of dollars.
  
  
• The World Bank helps governments in developing countries make smart investments in programs and policies to support child and youth development.

Facts and Figures

There are more than three billion people under the age of 24 in the world, comprising 47 percent of the world’s population. Nearly 90 percent of children and youth live in developing countries, and in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, this number will grow for decades to come.

Childhood, adolescence, and the youth years are crucial periods in the development of a person. Capacities built during these years largely determine success later in life. In order to reap their productive capacity and enhance well-being for the individual and society as a whole, it is important to invest in the young generation. However, with many competing demands for scarce funds, countries do not always fully recognize how critical young people are to their national economies, societies, and democracies, and consequently dedicate too few resources to harness their full potential. As a result, although young people have generally more opportunities now than in the past, many face poor health, malnutrition, low-quality education, lack of marketable skills, high rates of unemployment, early pregnancy, social exclusion, and high rates of new HIV/AIDS infections. These negative outcomes trigger substantial economic, social, and political costs. In Latin America and the Caribbean, for instance, a range of negative youth behaviors has been found to reduce economic growth by up to two percent annually.

The World Bank’s Response

The World Bank supports governments in the design and financing of development projects that benefit children and youth. The types of projects targeting young people are very diverse, including early childhood development, education and skills development, youth employment, sexual and reproductive health, violence prevention, and improving participation and citizenship.

• In Kenya, a $60 million Bank-financed project is increasing access to youth-targeted temporary employment programs and is improving youth employability.
  
  
• In Mexico, a $700 million loan is improving the internal efficiency of upper secondary education and its responsiveness to the labor market.
  
  
• In Nepal, the Bank is financing $123.5 million to ensure equitable access and quality of basic education for all children ages 5-12, prepare pre-school age children for basic education, and improve equitable access for youth to secondary education.
  
  
• In Tunisia, a $50 million policy loan is improving the effectiveness and efficiency of entry into the labor market.

Reflecting increased demand from governments, the World Bank’s children- and youth-specific investments have increased fivefold during the past ten years, reaching $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2010 (FY10) (Figure 1). These investments have contributed to better education, health, employment, and other outcomes for millions of young people.

• In Bangladesh, 850,000 girls benefited from conditional cash transfers in 2008/2009.
  
  
• In Kenya, school health programs have dewormed 3.6 million children.
  
  
• In Afghanistan, 18 public higher education institutions re-opened after years of conflict.
  
  
• Globally, International Development Association (IDA) grants helped build more than two million new classrooms and recruit or train three million additional teachers.

Related Links

Contacts:
Phil Hay, (202) 473-1796, phay@worldbank.org 
Melanie Mayhew, (202) 458-7891, mmayhew1@worldbank.org

Updated August 2011