Argentina's youth 6.7 millionbetween the ages of 15 and 24 are an important, but to acertain extent untapped, resource for development. Over 2million (31 percent) have already engaged in riskybehaviors, and another 1 million (15 percent) are exposed torisk factors that are correlated with eventual riskybehaviors. This totals 46 percent of youth at some form ofrisk. This note addresses these issues and draws on tofindings of a recently completed World Bank report aiming atgenerating, consolidating and sharing knowledge about therisks faced by youth in Argentina as well as the policyoptions for addressing them. Today's youth cohort isthe country's largest ever and it's largest forthe foreseeable future. If policymakers do not invest inyouth now especially in youth at risk they will miss aunique opportunity to equip the next generation with theabilities to become the drivers of growth, breaking theintergenerational spiral of poverty and inequality andmoving Argentina back into the group of high-incomecountries. If youth are educated and skilled, they can be atremendous asset for development. If not, they can burdensociety and public finances. Argentines are well educated,with an advanced education system when compared with most ofLatin America. Argentina has made great progress since the1980s: enrollment in primary education is nearly universaland average educational attainment has increased, reaching10.4 years in 2005 (compared with the regional average of5.9 years and East Asia's average of 7.6 years). Thegovernment is to be commended for maintaining highenrollments through difficult times. However, significantdifferences in educational outcomes persist by wealth andlocation. While less than 1 percent of 6-17-year olds fromthe richest 20 percent of households are not in school, thisnumber rises to 8.2 percent for those from the poorest 20percent of households. Children and youth in rural areashave a higher probability of dropping out than those inurban areas.
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