A new ground-breaking global youth mobilization was launched to invest in and scale up youth-led solutions and engagements in response to COVID-19. The initiative was launched by an alliance of the world’s largest youth movements and organizations, together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Foundation. Funding for community programmes, engaging youth in solutions to address COVID-19, and convening Global Youth Summit are key features of the new initiative.
Young Champion of the Earth is a forward-looking prize designed to breathe life into the ambitions of brilliant young environmentalists aged 18 – 30. Shortlisted finalists from every region have been selected following an open call for applications. A Global Jury will then choose seven winners. Each winner is expected to implement their big idea and keep UNEP updated on their progress by producing videos and blogs. Winners will also be given funding to support their communication efforts throughout the year, so that they can produce high-quality materials to share with our audiences.
For some small-scale farmers, the impact of COVID-19 has opened the door to new technologies. An IFAD-supported project helps young Kenyan farmers invest in hydroponics systems.
According to the ILO report, Youth and COVID-19: impacts on jobs, education, rights and mental well-being, 70 per cent of youth who study or combine study with work have been adversely affected by the closing of schools, universities and training centres. Despite the extreme circumstances young people are using their energy to mobilize and speak out in the fight against the crisis. According to the survey one in four have done some volunteer work during the pandemic.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, young people across the world are demanding a fairer, more inclusive world for women and girls.
This year’s International Youth Day highlights the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels, enrich national and multilateral institutions and processes. Moreover, the vast majority of challenges humanity currently faces, such as the COVID-19 outbreak and climate change, require the participation of young people to be addressed effectively. Join #31DaysOfYOUth, a social media campaign celebrating young people. Help strike up a conversation about youth engagement for global action! Additionally, UN Women hosts a live event of dialogue and art.
Youth can be a positive force for development when provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive. There are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16% of the global population. Today, they are particularly vulnerable to the economic and social disruptions the COVID-19 pandemic has caused. Young people will form a key element in an inclusive recovery and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during this Decade of Action. However, the response and recovery must be done in a way that protects the human rights of all youth.
UNESCO launches Global Skills Academy aiming to equip one million young persons with employability and resilience skills and help them find jobs when youth employment prospects look bleak. The impact of the pandemic on both education and employment has been dramatic. Students enrolled in training institutions and apprentices have been particularly affected by closures as they are dependent on practical training and hardware that is only available in training centres and workplaces.
World Youth Skills Day 2020 takes place in a challenging context. The COVID-19 lockdown measures have led to the worldwide closure of technical and vocational education and training institutions, threatening the continuity of skills development. Currently, more than 1 in 6 young people are out of work due to COVID-19. On 15 July, join the online panel discussion organized by the Permanent Missions of Portugal and Sri Lanka to the United Nations, together with UNESCO, ILO and the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth to discuss the importance of “Skills for Resilient Youth”.
This #YouthOfUNESCO campaign asks you to share your experience of the pandemic, through story or short video.
Youth in Nairobi slum use murals to educate the community about COVID-19
Young People Call for Action at the Migration Youth Forum in Ecuador
Decent Jobs for Youth is the global initiative to scale up action and impact on youth employment in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This platform is a hub for catalyzing partnerships, collaboration and coordinated action grounded in evidence-based strategies. ILO and its partners' vision is a world in which young women and men everywhere have greater access to decent jobs.
The UN defines “youth” as persons between the ages of 15 and 24. Today, there are 1.2 billion young people, accounting for 16 per cent of the global population. Connected to one another like never before, young people want to, and are already contributing to the resilience of their communities, proposing innovative solutions, driving social progress, and inspiring political change. As Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized, “the world needs young people to keep speaking out. Keep thinking big. Keep pushing boundaries. And keep up the pressure.”