Empower the Youth to Engage, Paradigm Initiative Advocates

By Maria Ifafesobi
Akure
As part of the 2020 International Youth Day celebration, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has called for policies that will ensure that social safety nets are provided to youths in order to ensure that they have access to improved livelihoods as well as be able to actively engage in any global action.
Paradigm Initiative charged the African States to provide youths with equal opportunities for education and employment. The UN/DESA Policy 2020 Brief read that young people are particularly vulnerable as a result of the disruptions caused by the pandemic with many African countries on lockdown guidelines in response to the pandemic.
This was made known in a statement issued by Paradigm Initiative to commemorate the year 2020 celebration of International Youth Day.
International Youth Day celebration is a yearly event that was endorsed in 1999 by the General Assembly after a recommendation by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youths. To commemorate this year’s celebration the theme is titled “Youth Engagement for Global Action”.
Paradigm Initiative (PIN) through its Life Skills, ICTs, Financial Literacy, and Entrepreneurship training program has empowered many youths to access digital platforms that enhance their prospects of employment and starting businesses. This exercise also enabled them to receive information and to be able to participate in national processes and beyond.
The Initiative also admonished African Countries to continue to take strides in ensuring that the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 which urges States to increase the number of youths and adults who have relevant skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship must be inclusive
States are to ensure that youth have access to the internet in keeping with Principle 37(2) of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa. Internet access provides a platform for the enjoyment of human rights. Providing youths with internet access is critical more so now during the pandemic.