The Summit agenda was designed to address concerns of stakeholders and young people in sessions that include the release of the State of Youth Employment Report 2002, nine thematic workshops, five regional breakout sessions, workshops for youth to help them take advantage of the opportunity to network and collaborate at the Summit, twenty "open sessions" presented by delegates from innovative organisations, the presentation of discussion papers, daily guided networking sessions, ten capacity building workshops, and ministerial declaration on "country actions towards youth employment".

This work will be supported by several parallel programmes, including:

Development Issues

Youth, Economic Development.

Three billion people live on less than $2 per day. In many countries, especially in the developing world, half of those people are under the age of 24. In almost all countries, improvements in the standard of living have been minimal; in more than 20 countries, conditions are deteriorating. One of the major causes of poverty is insufficient opportunity for people to earn a living. By the year 2010 an additional 700 million in developing nations alone will enter the labor market. The employment market is limited, and young people have less access to it than older experienced job seekers. By creating employment and opportunities for youth, other global challenges such as, hunger and poverty, HIV/AIDS, violence and environmental degradation, might be addressed.

In September 2001, youth gathered at the YES Secretariat to help define the Summit outcomes. Together they wrote a statement expressing a commitment to addressing their own challenges and calling for support and partnership to promote youth employment.