International Development Grant
Enhancing Employability and Leadership for Youth
Project Number: CA-3-A034880001
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $16,114,289.00
Start Date: March 30, 2011
End Date: June 30, 2017
Duration: 6.3 years
Project Description
This project aims to increase the employment and self-employment of young women and men in the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral regions of Northern Pakistan. It also aims to increase the involvement of youth leaders in those regions in state and civil society institutions to promote the betterment of youth. The project consists of two main components youth employability and youth leadership. The youth employability component prepares youth for the labour market through improved employment skills training and services. At the same time it prepares the labour market for youth through reforms that increase employment and self-employment opportunities for youth such as incentives for developing youth-centred enterprises. The youth leadership component prepares youth for community engagement by supporting youth associations youth support services and incentives or recognition for aspiring youth leaders. At the same time it prepares community and state institutions for youth engagement by helping them to better integrate youth perspectives into policy-making and to design youth-friendly programs and services.
Expected Results
The expected outcomes for this project included: (1) Increased and more equitable employability of young men and women in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral; and (2) Increased and more equitable engagement between and among male and female youth leaders community institutions and local government to address the needs of youth in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of October 2016 include: (1) provided over 3 300 young women and men with apprenticeship skills training; (2) trained over 4 000 young women and men in youth entrepreneurship; and (3) created an electronic youth portal for the Gligit-Baltistan and Chitral region which provides youth with access to information on employment skills development and leadership opportunities. The partner has successfully transferred the maintenance and upkeep of the website to a local media group. Overall this project was successful in investing in both the supply and demand sides of the job market. For example 41% of young women graduating from its professional internship were employed in professional settings such as Ministry Departments. Also young women occupied 31% of leadership roles in highly influential community organization after the project was completed.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
OGM Indo-Pacific
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP