State of Urban Youth 2012/2013

The second State of the Urban Youth report focuses on youth and the prosperity of cities. This report builds on the 2010/11 edition, “Leveling the Playing Field - Inequality of Youth Opportunity” and its insights into the state of urban youth. Much like the findings of the previous report, this one provides further evidence of the fundamental importance of job oriented education to the development of urban youth. The increasing prominence of the youth bulge in most urban areas presents a unique opportunity, as they represent the most dynamic human resource available. Their numbers today are larger than at any point in human history. Yet this group suffers the most from urban unemployment and often feels that they lack equal access to opportunities. This is especially acute in developing countries, which have a relatively youthful population that must be mobilised to realise greater economic and social development goals.