May 21–23 | Nairobi, Kenya
Prof. Jane Mariara Showcases Evidence-Based Youth Employment Solutions and Advances Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration at KIPPRA Regional Conference
May 27, 2025 | Nairobi, Kenya — At the 8th KIPPRA Annual Regional Conference, themed “Shaping Pathways to Future Jobs: Unlocking Opportunities for Youth”, held from May 21st –23rd, 2025, the Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP), in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, convened a high-level session on “What Works for Youth Employment in Africa.” The session spotlighted evidence from four countries—Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Uganda—on improving employment outcomes for young people across the continent.
Held on the opening day of the three-day conference, the session brought together policymakers, practitioners, researchers, development partners, and youth from diverse backgrounds, including marginalized groups such as women and persons with disabilities, among others. Discussions during the high-level session focused on the persistent challenge of youth unemployment, especially among women, persons with disabilities, and displaced populations. Emphasis was placed on the importance of inclusive, data-driven strategies for creating, accelerating, and expanding opportunities for dignified and fulfilling work for youth.
The findings presented were part of a broader three-year initiative (2021–2024) spearheaded by PEP in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation across 10 African countries. This initiative generated policy-relevant evidence and informed the design and implementation of youth employment strategies tailored to national and local contexts.
Highlights from Country Presentations
- Kenya: Despite a rich menu of youth employment programs, Kenya grapples with fragmented implementation and inadequate accountability. The team recommended scaling up integrated interventions, strengthening monitoring, evaluation, and reporting frameworks, and deepening private-sector partnerships to enhance job relevance and quality.
- Uganda: Youth unemployment remains high, especially among females and in sub-regions like Bukedi. The presentation called for operational support to boost program effectiveness, sustainable access to youth funds, and better monitoring systems to reduce mismanagement.
- Rwanda: With a relatively low youth unemployment rate of 20.8%—though even higher among young women and youth with disabilities—Rwanda’s challenges stem from high informality, skills mismatch, and unequal access. The study emphasized the role of home-grown solutions and strategic government planning to drive inclusion.
- Ethiopia: Ethiopia faces high underemployment and a significant rate of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET), particularly among rural and young female populations. The team highlighted the need for institutional cooperation, strong data systems, and inclusive policy design to improve the effectiveness of youth employment programs.
Key messages from the presentations include:
- Comprehensive, integrated programs yield better employment outcomes than fragmented efforts.
- Work experience and market access are vital for translating training into jobs.
- Addressing youth employment requires tackling structural barriers, including access to finance and gender norms.
- Effective entrepreneurship support demands more than funding—it must include mentorship, policy coherence, and simplification of administrative procedures.
- Rural youth must not be left behind—urban-centric programming risks deepening inequalities.
PEP Executive Director, Prof. Jane Mariara, underscored the value of locally led research and multi-stakeholder collaboration. “By working with national researchers, youth, policymakers, and diverse actors in the youth employment space, we ensured the evidence is grounded in the realities young people face,” she noted.
The initiative’s influence is already evident. In Kenya, for instance, findings have shaped third-generation County Integrated Development Plans (2023/24–2027/28) and informed inputs for the State Department for Youth Affairs. In Uganda, evidence contributed to the Start-Up Bill, the Domestic Employment Bill, and revisions to the National Employment Policy.
Also addressing the audience, Caspar Pedo, Country Programs Head at the Mastercard Foundation, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to enabling 30 million young Africans to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030 through its Young Africa Works strategy.
An interactive Q&A session followed the presentations, allowing youth and stakeholders to share reflections and discuss actionable policy steps. The session’s collaborative spirit reflected PEP’s co-production model, which engages governments, youth, civil society, the private sector, and researchers from project inception through dissemination.
The session concluded with a call for sustained investments in youth employment data systems, inclusive program design, and policy alignment that responds to the aspirations and realities of Africa’s youth.
