BACKGROUND

Young people are at the very heart of Africa’s development agenda. With over 75% of Africa’s 1.2 billion inhabitants under the age of 35, and 453 million Africans aged 15- 35, it goes without saying that the development outcomes of Africa’s young people have a significant and lasting effect on the continent’s trajectory. The challenges Africa faces in education, employment, health, and governance are most acutely felt by Africa’s youth.

The African Union Commission, along with the rest of the world, recognizes this centrality of youth to achieving the aspirations of Agenda 2063. Aspiration 6 in particular envisions a continent with people-driven development, relying on its youth. Together with the African Youth Charter and the roadmap on harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in youth, Agenda 2063 and its youth- centric action plans serve as continental frameworks which reflect the prioritization of youth development by the African Union Commission and AU Member States. The Commission’s strategy on youth engagement aims to strengthen its relationship with youth, and equip them with the spaces needed to amplify their voices to audiences of influence while confronting the existing barriers that compromise meaningful youth engagement.

African youth are diverse in realities and skill set, they have the ability to provide the resolutions to challenges plaguing the continent, through their unwavering resilience, vibrancy and penchant for innovation. Young people, by virtue of their energy, vibe and adaptability, gravitate to the forefront of creating new solutions to old problems, and African governments must leverage this natural affinity through building their capacity and providing spaces for them to thrive.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which spread globally, challenged the efficacy with which Africa’s youth engages with the world and the opportunities compromising their lives, livelihoods and lifestyles. To respond to this the AUC Chairperson launched the AU COVID-19 Vaccination Bingwa Initiative, the aim of which is to create a network of youth health champions who will drive up the vaccinations for COVID-19 to 70% by December 2023.

The AUC Youth Division’s interventions are centered around the 1 Million Next Level Initiative, which succeeds the 1 Million by 2021 Initiative. At its core the 1 Million initiative aims to create direct opportunities for young Africans in the areas of education, employment, entrepreneurship and engagement and health and wellbeing (4Es + H). At the very core of the initiative are the principles of Pan-Africanism,

strategic partnerships and Africa-centric innovation and solutions, co-created and driven by Africa’s youth, towards creating sustainable structures.

AFRICA YOUTH MONTH

It is against this backdrop that the African Union Commission is celebrating Africa Youth Month in November 2022, under the theme “Breaking The Barriers to Meaningful Youth Participation and Inclusion In Advocacy”. The African Youth Charter adopted in 2006 proclaims the 1st of November as Africa Youth Day, and in 2022, given the new contexts for the youth landscape on the continent spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic the Commission is celebrating youth in the entire month of November.

The Africa Youth Month (AYM) theme is a resounding call to all youth development stakeholders - governments, international organizations, development partners, private sector, civil society, and all African youth on the continent and in the diaspora

– to challenge the barriers to meaningful youth engagement in Africa however they may present.

The focus of the 1 Million Next Level Initiative on 4Es + H is underpinned by a firm foundation of strategic partnerships among stakeholders, and acknowledges young people beneficiaries and partners. Article 26A of the African Youth Charter charges youth to be owners of their own development. Youth-led movements across the continent have been advocating for change in their respective areas of focus. The aim of Africa Youth Month 2022 is to convene youth under the auspices of the Pan African Youth Forum and amplify a unified youth movement to transform youth inclusion in Africa. Correspondingly, the 2022 AYM theme also calls upon governments and partners to mobilize and support the 1 Million Next Level Initiative through creating and accelerating opportunities for youth in the 4Es +H.

AYM 2022 ACTIVITIES

Africa Youth Month will comprise of a launch activity on the 1st of November, and thematic weeks across the month, aligned to the 4Es + H. Activities will include youth- led actions, conferences and meetings, dialogues and extensive social media engagement.

1st November – Pan African Youth Forum High Level Session

To commemorate Africa Youth Day, the Commission will convene 200 young Africans at the African Union Headquarters to participate in a co-creation space where they will identify challenges and opportunities of engaging young people in Africa and build an ecosystem of youth networks across the 4Es and H to showcase their work on the continent. The Pan African Youth Forum will allow participants to establish a continental youth network that will enable them to support the work of their counterparts. The Forum will amplify the voices of youth on the continent as they share experiences and lessons learned from youth engagement on the continent to identify best practices for youth engagement and inclusion

Country engagement – Member states and Partner organizations are encouraged to sponsor and support youth participants to attend the 3-day Pan African Youth Forum event at the AUC HQ in Addis Ababa. Youth Participants who are to attend are to be members of youth organizations/networks/national youth councils across the thematic areas of education, employment, engagement, entrepreneurship and innovation and health and well-being.

Events Map

To encourage African youth-led and youth focused organisations to celebrate Africa Youth Day, the Commission will launch an Events Map on 1st November to amplify the multitude of youth events that will take place on AYD 2022.

Organisations will be encouraged to share the details of the event being organized to celebrate Africa Youth Day/Month 2022 and the information will be plotted into the continental Events Map.

Country engagement – Use this link to contribute and provide details of events organized to celebrate and commemorate Africa Youth Month

7th – 11th November –Behind the Mission Interviews with AU Youth Ministers

One on one Interviews pre-recorded (10mins) with Ministers of Youth to celebrate Africa Youth Month. A one on one interview on how Member States intend to advance the 1 Million Next Level.

Country engagement – The AUC Youth Division will send out Invitations to ministries of youth to arrange for the pre-recorded interviews

14th – 25th November – Showcasing the 4Es + H

Through interviews, podcasts, Youtube video series and behind the scenes content, the Youth Division will showcase how the policies that have a bearing on youth come about and how youth, Member States and partners are getting involved.

Country engagement – Member states and Partners are encouraged to share visual content on social media platforms that speak to showcasing policies and programs aimed at amplifying youth participation and advocacy. Kindly use the hashtags #1mNextLevel #AYM2022

28th November – Bingwa Virtual Scavenger Hunt

A virtual scavenger hunt to mark the end of AYM will be held on 27th November, participants will have 48 hours to complete a list of tasks that will amplify the Bingwa Initiative and a winner will be announced on @AUYouthProgram social media platforms on 30th November 12pm. Stay tuned into the social media pages to find out how to participate and what prizes are at stake!

Country engagement – Members states and Partners to engage online with the Bingwa Virtual Scavenger Hunt using the Hahstags that will be announced on the Youth Division Social media handles.

During AYM the Commission will also be launching the below;

• The 1 Million Next Level Initiative
• The “Girls and Young Women’s Involvement in AU Processes and Platforms” toolkit which aims to provide guidelines for (GYW) young women from both rural and urban areas that ensure awareness of the African Union process and ability engage in their different capacities in partnership with SheLeads and GIMAC and the AUC WGYD
• Launch of the Continental #WeMove Campaign
• Country Activation of the AU Covid -19 Bingwa Vaccination Initiative

#WeMove

Member States, Individuals, Member States, African youth on the continent and in the diaspora, UN Agencies and Development Partners, youth-led and youth-serving organizations, private enterprises, and any interested groups should celebrate Africa Youth Month. #WeMove #1mNextLevel #AYM2022.

All stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the activities and contextualise to country or institutional purpose throughout the month of November. We invite stakeholders to engage with the AUC Youth Program throughout the month on social media, and follow the activities throughout the month. Stakeholder