The World Bank released a report here Saturday, urging developing countries to invest more in young people aged between 12 and 24.

The World Development Report said that now 1.3 billion young people are living in the developing world, the largest-ever youth group in history.

There has never been a better time to invest in youth because they are healthier and better educated than previous generations, and they will join the workforce with fewer dependents because of changing demographics, said the report.

"However, failure to seize this opportunity to train them more effectively for the workplace, and to be active citizens, could lead to widespread disillusionment and social tensions," said the report.

The report said that young people make up nearly half of the ranks of the world's unemployed. For example, the Middle East and North Africa region alone must create 100 million jobs by 2020 in order to stabilize its employment situation, said the report.

Moreover, surveys of young people in East Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, carried out as research for the report, indicated that access to jobs, along with physical security, is their biggest concern.

World Bank statistics show that some 130 million of 15-24 year olds can not read or write.

The report said that most policymakers know that their young people will greatly influence their national social and economic fortunes, but nonetheless faced acute dilemmas in how to invest more effectively in their youth.

The report suggested three strategic policies that may enhance investment in young people, namely, expanding opportunities, improving capability, and offering second chances for young people who have fallen behind due to difficult circumstances or poor choices.

Source: Xinhua