By Litziri Hernández Gutiérrez

Youth Advisory Group (GAJ) GOYN – CDMX

My name is Litziri Hernández Gutiérrez, and I am currently part of the GOYN Youth Advisory Group in Mexico. Within the framework of the Youth Opportunity Forum: Future of Decent Work and Education in Mexico City, a pluralistic and participatory dialogue was created, focused on highlighting the main structural barriers that young people face in accessing decent educational and employment opportunities.

This forum not only allowed for the sharing of experiences but also for the development of collective proposals based on diverse realities. Through thematic working groups, fundamental issues such as education, the future of work, labor justice, and, in particular, self-employment and entrepreneurship—the central theme of Working Group 4, which I had the pleasure of moderating—were addressed.

Self-employment and entrepreneurship represent a real alternative for many young people who have been excluded from traditional employment systems, such as the "Youth Opportunity" program. However, this path is not without structural challenges that limit its development, sustainability, and empowerment. During the discussion, four key areas requiring urgent attention were identified: formalization, professionalization, empowerment, and scalability.

One of the main challenges young entrepreneurs face is formalizing their businesses. Processes such as registering with the tax authorities, accessing social security, and complying with tax obligations are often perceived as complex, bureaucratic, and inaccessible. This leads many businesses to operate informally, limiting their growth and access to institutional benefits. It is essential to simplify these processes, provide accessible support, and build flexible systems that incentivize formalization without penalizing those starting out.

Another critical aspect is professionalization. There is a clear gap in access to financial education, business training, and incubation programs. Most young entrepreneurs start businesses out of necessity, without the technical tools for managing, planning, or scaling their projects. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen the availability of accessible, relevant, and contextualized training that allows them to develop key skills for business sustainability.

The importance of entrepreneurship also emerged as a central theme. Self-employment is often seen as a less valuable option compared to formal employment, obscuring the economic and social impact generated by entrepreneurs. It is necessary to recognize that entrepreneurship not only involves generating personal income, but also creating jobs, stimulating local economies, and fostering innovation. Changing this narrative is key to positioning entrepreneurship as a legitimate path to professional development.

Finally, the scalability and sustainability of entrepreneurial ventures represent a structural challenge. Many projects manage to get off the ground, but few succeed in maintaining or growing over time. This is largely due to a lack of access to financing, support networks, mentorship, and business development programs. It is crucial to design public policies and strategies that support young people beyond the initial stages, providing them with the tools to consolidate and expand their businesses.

In conclusion, self-employment and entrepreneurship are fundamental to building a more inclusive and dignified future of work for young people participating in the Opportunity Youth program in Mexico. However, for these alternatives to be truly viable, it is necessary to address the identified challenges comprehensively. Listening to the voices of young people, as was done in this forum, is the first step toward building effective and sustainable solutions.

The Youth Opportunity Forum made it clear that young people not only face challenges, but also generate solutions. Investing in youth entrepreneurship means recognizing its transformative potential and creating the necessary conditions so that no young person has to choose between precariousness and their dreams.