In emerging economies, more than 70% of workers and youth are engaged in informal work or are not employed, earning less than $2.15 per day, limiting their access to skilled job opportunities. Economic inclusion programs provide skills training, business capital, coaching, and income support to create jobs for poor and vulnerable people, women, and youth. This layered approach builds a ladder out of poverty.
The Jobs for the Poor Program aims to scale-up economic inclusion programs for gainful self-employment of poor households in select countries through peer-to-peer learning and evidence-based adaptation. It contributes to the World Bank’s commitment to SP500—our target to reach 500 million more people with social protection and labor programs by 2030—ensuring that people not only have the protection of income support but also the opportunity for self-sufficiency.
Through this program, the World Bank will work in collaboration with partners, including the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, the Partnership for Economic Inclusion (PEI), and its network of partners such as BRAC International and the Development Impact Group.
Participants in this program will:
- Exchange knowledge and best practices in tailoring economic inclusion programs for effective delivery and scale up of country solutions
- Learn how to design innovative and adapted country programs and policies supporting youth and women employment, food security and climate resilience.
- Participate in country-specific study tours to learn from existing programs and share implementation insights and challenges.
Program Initiation: April 21, 2025, Washington, DC
Resources:
The State of Economic Inclusion Report 2024: Pathways to Scale