The power of young people to transform India and the world's future

by Dhuwarakha Sriram (Chief of YuWaah, Youth Development and Partnerships at UNICEF)

One of the critical pillars in strengthening India’s future is young people. As the Covid-19 crisis has disrupted all aspects of our lives, including health, education, and livelihoods, it is our young people who have been one of the most impacted by the pandemic’s socio-economic fallout. Apart from the physical health effects of the virus, young people across the globe have been facing mental & emotional trauma and critical learning loss due to frequent school closures throughout the past two years.

But all is not grim.

One of the unmistakable outcomes of the enduring battle against COVID-19 has been the remarkable cadre of young front-line warriors, who have emerged as the architects and innovators of India's road to recovery. Be it in the garb of medical service providers, tech developers, essential service providers, community service volunteers, or simply by promoting COVID Appropriate Behaviours, young people have demonstrated that they can lead and deliver positive change (read stories of innovation and resilience by young people here in English and Hindi).

Their contribution must not go unacknowledged. Indeed, they must be recognised and mainstreamed as equal partners in the development agenda.  

While young people have the capacity and willingness to make a difference in the post-pandemic world, they can only do this if given the right set of information tools, platforms, future skills, economic opportunities, and a seat at the decision-making table.

 According to The India workplace of 2022 (PWC) report, 32% of the young people in India value being in control of their careers. Our own experiences at UNICEF and YuWaah (Generation Unlimited India) have highlighted the need and significance of career guidance and counselling to enable young people to make informed choices in both professional and personal life.  

The impact of COVID-19 has resulted in a higher pace of technological advances and a significant shift in relevant skills of today's job market. However, according to the ASER 2020 report, 40% of children in India have not had access to remote learning during COVID-19. While the world is adapting to the timely and crucial technological disruption, many young people, especially the most vulnerable such as girls and people with disabilities, are being left behind. 

With the sheer scale of challenges faced by young people being exacerbated by the pandemic, no individual, government, or organisation can address them independently. YuWaah, the India chapter of Generation Unlimited (GenU) at UNICEF, has embarked on a mission to support India's young people for the future. We envision bringing together partners to support young people's transition from education and learning to productive work (jobs and entrepreneurship) and active citizenship. It is a platform for the public sector, the private sector, UN agencies, philanthropic organisations, academia, and civil society to overcome siloed agendas, fragmented networks, and to scale up innovative and effective solutions with and for young people. 

YuWaah is also committed to meaningfully including young people across all levels of governance and decision-making. YuWaah’s youth advisory body termed the ‘Young People’s Action team (YPAT)’ comprises highly motivated young people aged 10-24, who shape our priorities to address young people’s access to resources, education, employment, skill development, and social justice.

In May 2021, during the height of the deadly second wave, we launched the #YoungWarrior Movement. Within 100 days, the youth-led movement recorded 6.6 million+ corrective actions taken by young people, and over 1,350 partners from the government, CSOs, private sector, UN agencies pledging support. Following the success, the #YoungWarriorNXT was activated on International Youth Day 2021, to help young people build crucial life and employability skills such as self-awareness, collaboration, problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication. In 2022, through the YuWaah Skills initiative, we endeavor to equip young people with 21st century skills essential for them to pursue aspirational entrepreneurial, economic, and social impact opportunities.

This National Youth Day 2022, let us resolve to foreground young people’s priorities and potential in our work as well as day-to-day. By investing in young people - their agency, mindset, tools, and future skills for the 21st-Century, we prepare them to be ambassadors and pioneers of social change, innovation, and drivers of economic development.

The time to support and nurture young people is now. The need is urgent, and the stakes could not be higher. Our collective future depends on it!