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Dutch challenge fund for mobilizing innovative and scalable solutions for youth employment in the MENA, Sahel and Horn of Africa
Description/achievement of initiative

In 2019, the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs will set up a new Challenge Fund in support of employment opportunities for youth, with special attention for young women, in Africa and the Middle East. The aim of the Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE) is to create economic prospects - via decent work and income - for youngsters in the Middle East, North Africa, Sahel, and Horn of Africa. The fund will focus on supporting scalable solutions of the private sector, civil society and knowledge institutes. The USD 171 million fund will run for at least seven years (2019-2025).

Implementation methodologies

The aim of the Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE) is to improve economic prospects - via decent work and income - for up to 200,000 young men and women in the Middle East, North Africa, Sahel, and Horn of Africa. Private sector, civil society and knowledge institutions will be invited to submit proposals geared to scalable solutions for creating more and better jobs and income generating opportunities for youth. Solutions should in particular focus on an integrated approach that addresses the shortcomings on the demand side (jobs) and supply side (skills) and bridging the mismatch between these two in the labour market. The fund will focus in particular on opportunities for young women. The USD 171 million fund will run for at least seven years (2019-2025). In 2019 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will select a Fund Manager. It is anticipated that the first Call for Proposals will be launched end of 2019 or early 2020.

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

Coordination mechanisms/governance structure

Partner(s)

Netherlands, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Progress reports
Goal 4
4.4 - By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
Goal 5
Goal 8
8.3 - Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.5 - By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.6 - By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
Goal 17
17.16 - Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
1 / 2020
171,000,000 United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships in support of decent jobs for youth
Financing (in USD)
171,000,000 USD

Basic information
Time-frame: 2019-12-01 - 2025-12-31
Website
Partners
Netherlands, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Countries
Contact information
Esther Droppers, Senior Policy Officer, esther.droppers@minbuza.nl
United Nations