IEG EVALUATION
                                                                                                                   66223
                                           ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT FY01-11
                                                 APPROACH PAPER

                                Report to the Board of Executive Directors from the
                              Subcommittee Committee on Development Effectiveness

                                                  Meeting of November 14, 2011

       The Subcommittee (SC) of the Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) considered an
Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) Approach Paper entitled IEG Evaluation on Youth Employment FY01-11
(CODE2011-0058).

         IEG commented that the proposed evaluation recognizes the significant cost that youth unemployment
has for individuals and societies. The evaluation will take stock of international evidence on effectiveness of
youth employment initiatives and will identify lessons from World Bank Group (WBG) support. It will use the
Bank’s MILES framework, focusing on three aspects: skills development and individual attributes, labor
market issues pertinent to youth, and firms’ demand for young workers in self-employment, while also
recognizing the importance of macro-economic growth and social protection systems. The evaluation will
draw from a number of sources including a review of the Bank’ lending portfolio, economic and sector work
and country case studies. The analysis will examine where WBG support has reached youth, including young
women and poor and disabled young people. Overall findings will help identify factors that affect the success
of interventions and inform future lending, technical advice as well as policy dialogue, including the
operationalization of the 2013 World Development Report (WDR) on Jobs.

         Management acknowledged IEG’s cooperation in sharing an early draft for comments and appreciated
the opportunity to provide additional comments to the Approach Paper. First, it noted the need to better define
the outcomes of the evaluation by identifying the indicators that will measure success beyond available labor
market opportunities. Second, it agreed with the use of the MILES framework but added that it would be
important to define how alternative polices are expected to affect outcomes of interest as well as how these
policies interact. In addition, it asked that further thought be given to skills development, including not just
vocational training but also on the job training and entrepreneurship programs.

         Members noted that the evaluation will be highly relevant, particularly for regions such as Africa and
for fragile and conflict-affected states. A member noted that the WBG does not have a specific strategy for
youth employment. Members remarked as to the application of the MILES framework to youth employment as
well as to low-income countries. They asked that the evaluation benefit fully from potential synergies with
other initiatives and evaluations1, as well as encouraged IEG to ensure appropriate sequencing and messaging
with other reports, such as the 2013 WDR. Members also suggested that feedback from un-employed
stakeholders and youth organizations will be useful. They queried as to the correct labor market policies and
interventions to ensure quality and success. In that sense, they encouraged IEG to focus on the private sector
role (e.g. IFC, investment climate), vocational training and gender issues. In addition, they noted the
importance of the urban-rural divide, formal vs. informal sectors, macro policy, social protection and linkages
to security issues and remittances in varied regions. The Chair asked that further focus be given to the impact
of minimum wage on employment as well as to probe which WBG polices (i.e. education) impacted youth
employment interventions.

         IEG thanked members and management for the input, and indicated that several suggestions from the
discussion would be reflected in the evaluation. IEG clarified that the outcome evaluation will be objective-
based, comparing WBG project implementation against their stated objectives. IEG also noted that it is taking
a comprehensive approach to skills development and will review these projects against their objectives and
international evidence on success factors.





    This report is not an approved record.
1
    e.g. Realizing the Potential of Africa’s Youth, Report of the Africa Commission, 2009
This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may
not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank Group authorization.