Policy Bridge Institute-Africa launched to tackle youth unemployment with evidence-based policy solutions

The Policy Bridge Institute-Africa (PBI-A), a youth-centred civil society organisation focused on evidence-based policymaking, has been launched to help address gaps in education, skills development, technology adoption and employment opportunities for young Africans.

The idea was birthed by two ladies Dr Loretta Bortey Kubate, Paschaline Kyaakyille Dere. George Merkel Abuah, MLS, serves as its Secretary.

The institute was established on the belief that Africa’s youthful population presents a major opportunity that can only be harnessed through policies that respond to changing labour markets, emerging technologies and the skills required for future economies.

Speaking to ModernGhana News on the sidelines of the launch of the institute in Accra on Friday, July 17, co-founder Paschaline Kyaakyille Dere said the initiative seeks to ensure that young people are prepared for a rapidly changing world through improved policies and stronger connections between education, innovation and jobs.

She explained that the institute was created to ask critical questions about whether young people are equipped with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive.

“Policy Bridge Institute Africa is a youth-centred CSO that believes that a lot is changing in the world, and how ready is the youth of today’s century for the world that is changing," she noted.

Africa has the youngest population in the world, with more than 60 per cent of its population under 25, according to the institute’s founding statement.

However, the institute noted that challenges such as unemployment, skills mismatch and limited access to opportunities threaten the ability of young people to contribute fully to economic growth.

The institute identified the disconnect between education and industry needs, limited technology-driven opportunities and inadequate youth participation in policy discussions as key challenges it seeks to address.

PBI-A said it will focus on three main areas: technology and innovation, jobs and economic opportunity, and education and skills development.

The institute plans to implement initiatives including the Youth Growth Dialogue Series, the Future Skills Observatory, the AI and Digital Governance Lab, the Industry-Academia Bridge Programme and the Impact Accountability Report.

According to Ms Dere, the institute will also work to evaluate existing policies and provide insights to improve programmes targeted at young people.

“As this institute, we try as much as possible to be a very solid evaluation and monitoring team that ensures that what the government has invested in projects, is it really yielding the result it was intended for? If it is not yielding that result, what can we do differently?” she asked.