In both developing and industrialized countries, young people are highly exposed to unemployment. Over a cross-section of countries, the approximate ratio of youth to adult unemployment is two or three to one. Periods of unemployment tend to be shorter for youths. In developing countries, youth unemployment is higher among the less educated and less skilled. The high levels of youth unemployment can be attributed to the following: (1) certain inherent advantages that job holders have over entry workers; (2) slow economic growth; (3) differentials in the wage and other costs of employing youth compared with other workers; (4) technological change; (5) rate of growth of the labor force; (6) the role of the education and training system in influencing the quality of potential workers and their actual and perceived employability; and (7) mismatches between youth and work opportunities. Governments and other agencies have taken a number of measures to reduce youth unemployment. They have adopted nationwide policies adopted nationwide policies and designed specific employment programs, including temporary job programs, agricultural resettlement, national and community service, subsidies for self-employment, and training for young women. Young people can prepare themselves through vocationally oriented schooling and post-school or out-of-school training. Recommendations for action at the national, international, and Commonwealth levels are set in a framework of "entitlement for youth." (Appendixes include a summary of results of two surveys on youth unemployment.) (YLB)