Youth Action for Decent Work Conference

The conference will bring together young people, trade unionists, civil society actors and policy-makers to address the challenges faced by young people in the world of work. Youth participants will develop a set of recommendations and call on the leaders meeting at the G8 summit in Heiligendamm to take action.

The challenge: Despite unprecedented global economic growth, youth unemployment rose from 70 million in 1994 to 85 million in 2004. Even though young people make up only a quarter of the working age population, half the world's unemployed are young people. More than 100 million young people work but live in households that earn less than 1 dollar a day.

In the EU, one third of people are working on short-term contracts. Over 85 per cent of new global employment opportunities are in the informal economy which means no protection, no rights, no security.

Precarious, insecure and informal - what future for young workers?

The debates: Is labour market deregulation the answer will less rights lead to more jobs? Are governments and global institutions listening to young people? Are our politicians powerless in the face of global corporations and institutions to implement decent work creation policies? How secure is flexicurity? Do political parties and trade unions represent young workers? Is debt a good way of encouraging young people to get an education?

The participants: Young people from throughout the world will come together for this two day event. As well as hearing from policy makers, they will have the opportunity to interact with young activists who are organizing and advocating for decent work, be it through projects in their local communities, consumer campaigning or being elected representatives.

The solutions: Young people facing these issues are the ones in the best position to come up with the solutions. Through engaging with each other and learning from each others successes and failures the participants will come up with creative solutions to take back and discuss with their local constituencies. A final declaration, agreed upon by all participants will be handed over to a representative of the German government in view of their Presidency of the G8.

Information and registration:

Claire Courteille

Economic and Social Policy Department
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
5, Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
Tel. (direct) +322 2240329
Fax: +322 2015815 or 2030756
claire.courteille@ituc-csi.org

http://www.ituc-csi.org