HARNESSING THE POWER OF YOUTH
Today, on International Youth Day 2019, the Centre for Youth and Development joins the world in celebrating the role of young women and men as partners for positive change. August 12 marks the annual celebration of International Youth Day. It is an international day of awareness, recognizing youth across the globe and empowering the world’s youth to make positive contributions to their communities and countries.
2019 Theme: “Transforming Education”
This year’s theme highlights efforts to make education more inclusive and accessible for all youth, including efforts by youth themselves. Focused on Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. International Youth Day 2019 examines how Governments, young people and youth-led and youth-focused organizations like Centre for Youth and Development, as well as other stakeholders, are transforming education so that it becomes a powerful tool to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Education is crucial to achieving sustainable development, it plays a pivotal role in accelerating progress across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, be it poverty eradication, good health, gender equality, decent work and growth, reduced inequalities or action on climate.
The potential of Young People
There are currently 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world. In Malawi, 60% of the population are youth, defined as those aged 10 to 35 years according to the National Youth Policy. Young people represent hope for the future. However, they are more than just that, they have the potential to shape the world both in the present and in the future as the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, said, “Young people are not only our future—they are our present…
They are the most connected, the most outspoken and the most open-minded generation the world has ever seen.” Sadly, young people’s potential is often inhibited. Young people grapple with poverty, disease, lack of resources, education, and more. Restricting many to reach their potential.
Our work
Centre for Youth and Development accentuate pro-youth strategies. As such, young people themselves are the main focus of CYD’s development work; all our interventions are anchored and centered on young people in sectors of Education, Health, Livelihoods, Environment and Governance while leveraging ICT for Development.
Whereas education and governance help young people develop their attitudes, skills and knowledge needed to make informed decisions for the development of themselves and their communities, livelihoods create access to sustainable income sources and provides a means by which they can act upon these decisions, environment and health promotes life.
It is our firm conviction that, when combined, education, livelihoods, health, governance, and ICT for Development can enable young people to hold duty bearers accountable for the realization of their rights to a greater extent than is possible through isolated interventions alone.
What you can do?
Our goal is for youth to be prepared, equipped, and able to support themselves while contributing positively to their families and communities. By partnering with us, you support education (both formal and non-formal education), Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment or Health bringing positive impact to the lives of young people and releasing them from the grip of poverty.
