Youth Rising - EU Support to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for Young People in Liberia II Contract related to: Youth Rising - EU Support to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for Young People in Liberia II - Liberia¿s population was estimated to be 5 million in 2020, with forecasts predicting 6.4 million in 2030.&nbsp;In 2020, 40% of the population was under the age of 15 &nbsp;and population growth is not projected to decrease. As a result, pressure on the education system and the labour market in Liberia are extremely high. The global commodity price crisis, and combined effects of the Ebola crisis and COVID-19 pandemic, have devastated the Liberian economy and worsened youth¿s fragility problems. &nbsp;Liberian youth suffer from high unemployment, underemployment and vulnerable employment rates. A socially and economically marginalised youth poses serious risks to national security, social cohesion and stability. Efforts to improve youth¿s employability are constrained by a deficient Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. Overall, the Liberian TVET sector is faced with serious shortcomings in terms of quality and relevance, access and equity, funding and governance, including outdated and limited equipment; lack of adequately trained and incentivized trainers and administrators; lack of an accreditation system and standardized curricula; weak linkages between TVET and the productive sectors of the economy; low management capacity and central and local levels; lack of gender sensitive measures; lack of coordination between TVET stakeholders; lack of defined pathways into and from TVET; and insufficient funding.&nbsp;The proposed Action seeks to step up EU support to Liberian youth, to ensure they can acquire relevant skills and access decent and quality jobs through vocational and technical training. The proposed action builds on the results of EU¿s ¿Youth Rising¿ project, designed to strengthen the Liberian TVET sector in its capacity to deliver equitable and gender-balanced access to high quality and demand-driven TVET in 7 counties (6 supported by the EU and 1 by the Government of Sweden).The second phase of the ¿Youth Rising¿ project will replicate the action in the remaining 8 counties. The proposed intervention will complement capacity development support at the central and Vocational Training Centre levels and strengthen links with the private sector. In addition, the intervention will address equity and inclusiveness issues in hard-to-reach counties, with a focus on gender, vulnerable youth, youth with disabilities, and youth at risk. The intervention will improve access to TVET in all counties. The proposed Action reflects the EU¿s political objectives defined in the European Consensus on Development. It will enhance youth¿s employability and Vocational Education and Training (VET) alignment to private sector needs.&nbsp;The Action proposes measures to address gender equity in access to TVET and female paid employment, thus contributing to the 2021-2025 EU Gender Action Plan. The Action is aligned to the Government of Liberia (GoL)¿s priorities, as stated in the ¿Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD 2018-2024). &nbsp;¿Power to the people¿, the first pillar of the four-pronged PAPD strategy, focuses on the importance of developing a skilled workforce, with specific emphasis on the role of TVET.