Today, 12th of August, marks international Youth Day which is commemorated to appreciate the energy, passion and dedication of the youth to the world.
The idea of the International Youth Day was first proposed by World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1998 and on December 17,1999 the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the proposal and declared August 12th as International Youth Day.
It was first observed in August 12,2000 and since then it has been celebrated annually with specific themes to youth development such as education , employment, civic engagement or health.
The day serves to draw attention to cultural, legal, and social issues affecting youth and provides an opportunity for governments, organisations and communities to discuss policies, programs and initiatives that support the development and wellbeing of young people.
This year, the United Nations’ theme for International Youth Day is ‘From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable development’, which highlights the key connection between digitalization and accelerating the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) , emphasizing crucial contribution of young people in the transformative process.
According to the United Nations, there are 1.2 Billion young people who make up to 12% percent of the global population. This notable population is considered as ‘digital natives’ and they are at the forefront of adopting and innovating with new technologies , leveraging their transformative power in addressing global challenges.
In the recent months, the youth have been at the forefront in voicing change in governance and social injustices. The movement of Generation Z has been relentless with many of them putting their life on the line for a better society.
In Kenya, the Generation Z led anti- government protests for about two months, main concerns being, high cost of living and over taxation.
During the protests, more than 50 people reportedly lost their lives and hundreds others got injured which resulted the president dismissing all ministers and withdrew the Finance Bill, which was the major concern of the protests.
Other countries such as Nigeria and Bangladesh have been in protests, spear headed by Generation Z, which pressured the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh to resign and major reforms to be made in the Nigerian government.
The youth have proven that they are enlightened ,have vast knowledge on governance and also demonstrated that they have a voice.
