Empowering Youth as Agents of Peace
In this Y- Action video of UNESCO Youth response to COVID-19 music will take the main lead to connect and educate the community about barrier gestures to fight covid and create awareness about information. They inspire us by keeping the good vibes that music brings with a whisper of hope.
More than 11,000 young people from all over the world have converged virtually for the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum 2021, the UN’s foremost platform for tackling the many pressing challenges facing young people today, including the impacts of COVID-19. The two-day event features plenary sessions, interactive thematic and regionally-based discussions, and provides an opportunity for a rich exchange of views and ideas on innovative solutions to issues of relevance to young people on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action aims to protect young people and adolescents, while recognising that they are invaluable partners in responding effectively to COVID-19 and its effects felt in societies across the globe.
Young people in Khan Younis city in the Gaza Strip used the popular computer game Minecraft to design inclusive public spaces that are safe for women.
At the beginning of 2020, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, challenged students to tackle issues related to forced displacement during their debates. The reward? Getting their best ideas shared with policy-makers. More than 20,000 students in 75 countries accepted the MUN Refugee Challenge. They collectively drafted “resolutions” which were reviewed by a panel of experts and young refugees. Here’s a summary of the winning ideas and some of the thinking behind them.
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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.