On the 3 of August, the African Union Youth Envoy arrived in Abuja, Nigeria, as part of the 60 Days Listening Tour Campaign. Ms Chido Cleopatra Mpemba, as Special Envoy on Youth, AUC and her team were welcome by UNFPA Nigeria.
The 60 Days Listening Tour Campaign is an initiative of the Office of the African Union Youth Envoy to promote meaningful participation of African youths in Africa's development processes, promote solution-focused engagements and collaborations among African youths and relevant stakeholders and raise awareness of their mandate.
UNFPA Deputy Representative, Ms Erika Goldson, welcomed the envoy expressing her excitement and appreciation to the AU Envoy for her visit to Nigeria during her 60 days tour. UNFPA is the leading youth agency within the UN system and works and will continue to work closely with critical actors to fulfil the SDGs leaving no one behind. In her remarks, the Deputy explained that youths are the drivers of tomorrow and should have an active role in the decision-makers.
Furthermore, Mr Matthias Schmale – UN Resident Coordinator, raised the challenges young people around Africa face due to poor institutional and socioeconomic barriers, growing in-security risks, widespread shortcomings in accountability, etc.
In Nigeria, 40% of the population are young people, meaning many young people need a better standard of living. With most young people out of school, increasing poverty has driven large numbers of Nigeria's youth to partake in illegal activities, including some joining extremist and insurgent networks.
The UN System is working extremely hard to support the government of Nigeria in implementing youth-focused activities to address the rapidly emerging issues facing the nation's young people.
The visit included a Town Hall with young people on issues concerning them in the areas of livelihoods, education, public health, climate change, digital inclusion and youth inclusion.
Over 50 young people attended the meeting, in addition to 47 online participants. Young attendees communicated the issues they challenged daily. Also, they participated in panel discussions and breakout sessions concerning the six thematic areas alongside various youth experts present physically and online. Each breakout group tackled one thematic area concerning the current situation in Nigeria and involved brainstorming on practical recommendations.
A courtesy call to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development. During the bilateral discussions with the Permanent Secretary, HE Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, the AU envoy brought attention to the need to promote active and meaningful participation of Nigerian youths in Africa's development processes. Ms Chido Cleopatra Mpemba further advocated to the PS the need to create a Youth Envoy office within the government and ensure that Nigeria, as the most prominent funding country for the AU, set aside and facilitates a dedicated fund for youth activities around Africa.
UNFPA, the AU Youth Envoy and Education as a Vaccine (EVA) visited the Youth Project in Karu Local Government Area managed by UNFPA implementing partner EVA at the District Head Chief Palace, Kurudu. Many adolescents spoke out of high pregnancy rates and incidence of sexual violence in the community, along with prostitution contributing to the high rate of girls not completing school. They are also concerned about the increase in poverty across the community, pushing girls to resort to sexual activities for money and other illegal activities such as theft and petty crime. They requested that the organization provide youth- with a friendly centre to address this issue; this will help keep the younger generations busy and focused.
The last visit was the courtesy visit to the Honourable Minister of State, Foreign Affairs. In the meeting, Ms Chido Mpmeba advocated for representation for young people in politics and decision-making. She also requested financial support for the AU Youth Envoy's office and assured the minister that by the end of her term, she intends to create a documentary of AU countries exhibiting the struggles African youth are tackling. The meeting ended with HE indicating his support, buttressing that Nigeria is a huge supporter of the AU and a massive contributor to its budget. The minister pledged that Nigeria would continue to support all Nigerian youths in the country's development processes and the AU.
UNFPA Nigeria, in words of Country Resident Representative, Ms Ulla Müller, "In UNFPA, we strongly believe in educating and empowering adolescents and young people. We believe they should take the lead on making informed decisions on sexual and reproductive health and rights; about employment, education and social and economic development". That is the reason youth is one of our key target populations. Youth are the future, but also the present.
Download the complete report of the visit here.
