The Youth Employment Network (YEN), a partnership under the personal leadership of the heads of the UN, the World Bank and the ILO, was created under the impetus of the Millennium Declaration where Heads of State and Government resolved to 'develop and implement strategies that give people everywhere a real chance to find decent and productive work'. This commitment was subsequently integrated into the Millennium Development Goals. The Network brings together leaders in industry, youth organisations, civil society representatives and policymakers to tackle the issue of youth employment at the global, national and local level.

　　The YEN includes a High Level Panel of twelve experts and practitioners on youth employment who have provided the policy focus for the YEN based on four global priorities: Employability, Equal opportunities, Entrepreneurship and Employment creation. This policy framework is now providing practical guidance for countries in preparing their Action Plans.

　　The YEN has also established a Youth Consultative Group (YCG). Comprising 13 representatives of international and regional youth organizations the YCG is working to represent the concerns of young people on the function, direction and priorities of the YEN through interaction with the High Level Panelists and input into decision making processes. The Group is acting as a catalyst and resource to support youth participation in the development, implementation and review of Action Plans in the lead countries and beyond.

　　The mandate for this global alliance for youth employment has been strengthened by two UN General Assembly Resolutions, the December 2002 Resolution on promoting youth employment (A/RES/57/165) and the January 2004 Resolution concerning policies and programmes involving youth (A/RES/58/133).

　　Azerbaijan, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ecuador, Georgia, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Mali, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, Uganda and the United Kingdom, have stepped forward to be lead countries in this process and to showcase successful youth employment practices.

　　The YEN sees youth employment as both an integral part of the Millennium Declaration and a key contribution to achieving all the Millennium Development Goals, specifically those related to poverty reduction.

　　The secretariat of the YEN is located in ILO. For more information on the work of the YEN, please go to its website: http//www.ilo.org/yen