The main objective of the report is to provide diagnosis on youth employment, which can provide the basis for future policy design.

In recent years, the topic of youth employment in Kosovo has been studied extensively. There are reports produced by Provisional Institutions for Self-Government (PISG) and international organizations and donors which compile information about youth employment trends, skills mismatches, employment promotion, and labor demand constraints for this segment of the population. Nevertheless, studies fall short on addressing issues related to youth employment quality, regional differences in youth employment outcomes, and relationships between youth employment and household poverty.

This report uses available micro-data (the Labor Force Survey, LFS; and the Household Budget Survey, HBS) and develops a more in-depth analysis of youth employment outcomes, trends, and determinants, focusing on the aforementioned information gaps. Our definition of youth includes individuals aged 15 to 24.

The report is structured as follows: chapter one provides a general background of macroeconomic and employment outcomes in Kosovo. The chapter then explains the framework, scope, and limitations of this study (Why youth? Why youth in jeopardy?). Chapter two develops a youth employment profile using data from the 2003-2006 labor force surveys and the 2006 household budget survey; analysis includes a profile of youth in jeopardy in Kosovo, employment trends, and assessment of youth employment quality and constraints. Chapter three provides an overview of the current youth programs and policies being implemented in the territory in the context of the Kosovo Youth National Action Plan (KYNAP).