Most emerging economies are perhaps the most youthful region in the world. Engaging youth in innovative and productive ways in urban centres is one of the major challenges facing cities across such regions. This underscores the need to create employment opportunities and enabling environment for youth entrepreneurship in the emerging economies. Private sector job numbers have recently been growing, but not enough to keep pace with this tremendous growth in youth population. We focus on reaconable advocacy and action research to ensure that policymakers and urban planners in make the creation and implementation of strategies to improve employment outcomes for its enormous youth cohorts a major priority.