essay on transforming youth skills for the future

Transforming Youth Skills for the Future

By Nati Garcia (Maya Mam, CS Staff)

In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 15 as World Youth Skills Day to highlight the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment and entrepreneurship. World Youth Skills Day 2022 takes place amid concerted efforts towards socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that are interconnected with the challenges of climate change, violent conflict, persisting poverty, rising inequality, rapid technological change, demographic transition, and others. Indigenous youth are often excluded when it comes to celebrating their abilities and skills, while the consequences of colonialism and conflicts in their territories present additional obstacles. The pandemic has further accelerated uncertainty for their futures.   

At Cultural Survival, for the last five years we have been supporting individuals and groups of youth in building communication and technical skills in radio along with audiovisual and print media through our Indigenous Community Media Youth Fellowship . Fellowships have allowed youth to build capacities in Indigenous rights, Indigenous languages, cultures, and Traditional Knowledge. Through a one-to-one mentoring strategy, Cultural Survival accompanies youth from the start to the completion of their projects.  Since 2018, we have awarded 58 fellowships to Indigenous youth. There is an enormous potential for youth to develop knowledge and leadership skills to revitalize their languages, cultures, lands, and livelihoods, and we are moving forward to include these topics in youth fellowships.  

We believe it is crucial to listen and respond to the self-determined needs of the communities in order to provide support that is sustainable, and most importantly, pertinent to the needs of the community. Indigenous youth are the future of their communities, and developing youth leadership is an integral part of ensuring communities’ well being. Here we share reflections from our fellows on the importance of Indigenous youth receiving opportunities to strengthen their skills in ways that allow them to participate actively in their communities.  

Arnab Chaudhary (Tharu), 22, is from Gadhawa Village in the Dang district of Nepal. Currently in his final year of law school, Chaudhary is an executive member of Kathamandur Valley Committee of the Tharu Student Society where he engages with his peers in social, legal, political, and economic issues related to Indigenous communities. He received a fellowship in 2020 for a project entitled “Vanishing Language of Kusunda People,” in which he produced a radio program series about the Kusunda Peoples that focused on promoting and strengthening the Kusunda language and culture.  Chaudhary is passionate about writing and public speaking, and has received tremendous support from his family, friends, and mentors in strengthening his passion. He currently works with ProPublic, an organization that works on advocacy of culture, environmental justice, and social justice. He speaks five languages (Tharu, Nepali, Hindi, English, and Awadhi) and has received training opportunities in further developing his writing and leadership skills.  From his experience, he shares the importance in developing Indigenous youth skills: “In my community, many people cannot put [into words] their ideas or issues that they are thinking [about]. If there are more training spaces for Indigenous youth, they can share their ideas, they can [become] more capable. Training spaces also provide them networking and friends, and they can get different people’s perspectives from different backgrounds. These types of spaces provide diversified ideas. I think I can give only one message to Indigenous youth around the world: always grab the opportunity. Do not leave any types of opportunities; grab that opportunity immediately.”  

Tisoy was awarded a fellowship in 2020 for her project entitled “Jajetsam Bëngbe Juabnac” (Weaving the Thought of Our Elders), which focused on strengthening ancestral knowledge and history through storytelling in promoting the Kamëntsá culture. She also received a Keepers of the Earth Fund Grant for her “Sacred Experiences” project, which focused on the chagra as a space for strengthening and preserving the territory. She is also currently part of a think tank for the construction of a livelihood plan for a community process for social and cultural self-recognition with the Cabildo Cancha Inga of the municipality of San Francisco.  

Tisoy has always focused on strengthening her skills and those of the women in the Auaspa Iuiakuna, making their rights and role within their homes and the community visible. She seeks to develop skills and abilities from the community and her profession to contribute to the collective process in her territory. “I really like to learn and receive training. I have received so much training from the academy since I started my studies. Whenever there is a course, training, or a diploma. I like to do it because through academic training I have seen that one can contribute more. Through trainings, we improve our skills and knowledge. My contribution [to my community] is to replicate [my training] and help other people [become] agents of change, and in this way, contribute to the processes that are being developed in the territory. I believe that we as Indigenous people can contribute more. We have many skills that are yet to be discovered and knowledge that is yet to be acquired, but we can also provide all this knowledge through training, and thus together take actions to transform the territories in a positive way and in accordance with culture, art, and education.”  

The Martin Luther King Leadership Scholarship helped the women develop their English language skills and gave them the opportunity for cultural enrichment through exchanges and dialogues among members. There was a desire to continue these relationships and collectively continue the process they had established in strengthening their abilities, which led to the creation of the Indigenous Women Circle of Words. Audiovisual media has been an important tool to maintain and strengthen the Indigenous knowledge systems to be able to take them into other spaces. 

Daniela Estefania Ceballos Piarpuzan  (Pastos) from Los Pastos de Ipiales community, Nariño; Paola Andrea Sánchez Cuatindioy  (Inga) from Indigenous community Inga in Bogotá; and Maria Angélica Sandoval Cabiativa (Muisca) from Bogota reflected on the importance of developing skills, especially as young Indigenous women. They have been participating in courses in creative writing and audiovisual and podcast production, which have provided them with tools in building their leadership skills while safeguarding their cultures and ancestral knowledge systems.   

“I believe that scholarships and training courses are important for youth, and in this case a group of women, because they allow us to develop other skills; skills that we did not know we had or things we didn’t know we liked. Our main objective is community work with Indigenous communities. I believe that all spaces that allow us to strengthen ourselves as youth in different areas are important, and above all, necessary [because] in the world technology tools are constantly advancing.” — Paola Andrea Sánchez  

“We youth are from a creative generation that is committed to change. We know how the problems around us have historically affected us, have affected our communities. These spaces allow us to be promoters of change from different areas. It is important to come together to make an even greater commitment to transform and create those spaces that allow us to guarantee protective environments through initiatives and strategies. Being together within the processes of leadership and empowerment allows these learning elements to be the inspiration that we can generate for the generations that come after us.”  — Maria Angélica Sandoval Cabiativa.

“[When] we come together as a collective, we look for like-minded people who have the same interests and the same goals. The results are going to be much more powerful, effective, and efficient results achieved for our communities.” — Daniela Estefania Ceballos Piarpuzan.  

“Right now I am very much with the phrase ‘returning to the origin,’ understood not from the part of going back, but on the contrary, to resume and strengthen our roots. May we always work and proudly carry our roots. Let us always remember who we are, where we come from, in order to be clear about where we are going. Because with clear objectives, I think we are going to achieve many things. Collective work is also super important. It is important to remember, to return to the origin, especially in this post-pandemic time where many of our elders, our grandparents, and our knowledgeable people are leaving us. They have been reminding us that they not only carry in their physical body, but also all the wisdom they carry, we are their legacy. We are going to leave little seeds so that our people and our thinking continue to resist.” — Paola Andrea Sánchez.  

“We must recognize that nothing is going to be easy; along the way, we always have to make a lot of effort. As Indigenous people, we must educate ourselves both in what is our own, and in what we call the Western or the academic. We must train ourselves in both paths. That will imply more work, but it will lead us to recognize precisely what Paola was naming: recognize our roots, recognize our origin, and give it the value it deserves. Take advantage of all the opportunities that are close to you. Do not give up in the face of difficulties, because you will always find someone to support you, who wants to work with you. When we get together, we see that we are not alone, but there are people who have similar goals to us. Therefore, we must continue working for ourselves, to improve the quality of life in our families and in our communities.”— Maria Angélica Sandoval Cabiativa    

Axayacatl Jacob Arellano Ricardez (Zapoteco), 20, is from the communities of Santa Gertrudis Zimatlan Oaxaca and Cuilapan de Guerrero. He is in his fourth year of studies for a bachelor's degree in Engineering in Agronomy and Agriculture at the Universidad Bienestar Benito Juárez García. Jacob is an announcer with Radio Ger. He was awarded a fellowship in 2021 for the language revitalization project "Mi lengua-dice Shna,” which addresses the need to revitalize the Zapoteco language through belonging, communication, Indigenous Knowledge, and identity via radio and audiovisual production.   

For Ricardez, as for many Indigenous youth in Mexico, the prospect of securing full time employment after he graduates is very much unknown. The conditions are challenging and competitive, and minimum wage does not cover basic livelihood costs. For this reason, Ricardez is actively developing his skills in additional areas such as computers. He is currently in a computer development program learning to refurbish recycled computers so that Indigenous people in the community can have access to a computer and be able to complete homework at home. There is no internet access in his community currently because the computers are old and do not have Wifi capability.   

“Training in what you like is a good thing because it serves as a source of self-employment. For example, although I am studying, no one guarantees that I will finish or have a job. However, when learning a trade like computers, I can offer my services to maintain computers or support people who need one and do not have one. It is therefore important that training be offered for Indigenous youth. In addition to the experience of sharing your knowledge, you can teach someone something that you know. It feels good that the person learns. Right now, being able to get money is getting more and more difficult. You do not have to be specialized in one area. You also don't have to know everything. There has to be a balance, knowing a little bit of everything, doing things well, and learning what you like. When you have the opportunity to learn something new, do it, because it might be of any use to you later.”   

Lissandra Mukul  (Maya Yucatec), 17, is an Indigenous Community Media Youth Fellow from Chacsinkin in Yucatan, Mexico. She was awarded a fellowship in 2021 for the project entitled “Méjen Kambalo’ob (The Little Apprentices),” which aims at promoting the Maya culture and strengthening Indigenous identity among children and youth so they can seek growth together within the Chacinkin community through workshops and develop their abilities to share knowledge with other children and youth. For two years, Mukul has been receiving training from a team of teachers, agro-ecological engineers, and psychologists who give training workshops to new team members. This has offered her the opportunity to deepen her knowledge and refine her skills in community radio, audiovisual media, and podcasts, revitalizing her Maya Yucatec culture and language.   

“The importance of the training is that I can participate in a large part of the activities that they carry out every day and I can give clear and decisive answers. It is very important that there are training spaces for youth in the communities since that helps us push ourselves to get ahead. I believe that this helps youth a lot to be very active and to be interested in things that can help us get ahead.”

Top photo: Through their participation in Makxtum Kgalhaw Chuchutsipi , Tutunakú youth in Mexico are leading the way to defend their territories and build sustainable energy sources for their communities.

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Enfoque Educación

Youth Skills Development: Preparing Young People for the Future

July 15, 2022 por Liliana Serrano Pájaro - JungKyu Rhys Lim - Cecilia Rodríguez Alcalá 1 Comment

The COVID-19 pandemic widened pre-existing opportunity, skills, and achievement gaps, with devastating impacts on our future generations. It has been more than two years and a half since the pandemic has changed the lives of 165 million students in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), who, on average, lost 237 days of school and faced tremendous learning losses.

In fact, the latest IDB flagship report  highlighted the following:

• Learning losses represent more than an entire year of schooling
• The risk of dropping out of school is now 2.5 times higher
• If we fail to act, young people in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) will see a decrease in their annual income of between $15,000 and $30,000 over their lifetime due to lower educational achievement.

Viktor Frankl wrote, “In times of crisis, people reach for meaning. Meaning is strength. Our survival may depend on our seeking and finding it.”

In commitment to their communities, youths are transforming our societies in many ways: as activists working to close gender gaps, combat climate change, and reduce violence; as entrepreneurs creating innovative products; as scientists supporting efforts to address COVID-19; as artists keeping culture alive; and as changemakers in academia, governments, and civil society shaping our democracy.

Young leaders in LAC are raising their voices and calling for economic justice, equality, and rights- including quality education- blazing a path forward for humanity.

Skills for Life in the 21st Century

At the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), we are implementing a roadmap to prepare educators and students for today’s challenges and future opportunities. As part of the IDB’s 21st Century Skills Initiative , we are helping countries transform their education systems by working alongside stakeholders from public, private, and civil society sectors.

We are also working with more than 50 coalition partners to equip young people with skills for life, employment, and entrepreneurship.

The 21st Century Skills Initiative has programs and knowledge products in six key areas: art, citizenship, digital skills, behavioral science, sports, and mindfulness, which all aim to develop transversal skills. We believe in lifelong education, integrating both formal and non-formal education, to provide flexible and personalized learning experiences.

Four Key Skills Youth Need in the 21st Century

Transversal skills enable young people to reinvent themselves throughout all stages of life, adapt to changing and diverse circumstances, and identify opportunities for growth amid differences. Among them, 21st century skills, or transversal skill s that people need in the 21st century , include:

• Digital skills (such as computational thinking)
• Advanced cognitive skills (such as critical thinking and problem-solving)
• Executive function-related skills (such as self-regulation and metacognition)
• Socio-emotional skills (such as self-esteem, adaptability , creativity , perseverance , and empathy).

We consider these skills are both transversal and foundational, as they are widely transferable to various contexts, not specific to a certain job, task, sector, discipline, and occupation, and key competencies for individuals to thrive.

In sum, 21st century skills help individuals of all ages to reinvent themselves throughout life, and adapt to changing and diverse circumstances, while navigating new and significant challenges including climate change, migration, aging, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.  

Transforming Youth for the Future: Skills for Life Series

As a part of the 21st Century Skills Initiative’s efforts to create  applicable knowledge to help generate impactful solutions, through IDB Skills for Life Series, IDB has introduced more detailed information about transversal skills -such as learnability , digital skills , digital literacy , critical thinking, creativity , media literacy , and social skills for inter-ethnic cohesion- to address the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, entrepreneurship, and life.

In this series, distinguished education experts and professionals share their insights and knowledge about different transversal skills.

Systems of learning need to adapt to a new normal of global life . Alarm bells have been ringing for the last decade about the future of work and the changing skills demands brought on by technology and automation. Communities, regions, and countries need to make strategic investments in redesigning today’s learning systems into systems of lifelong learning that will best position them and their workforce in a globally competitive environment. This skills brief offers recommendations on how to properly enable lifelong learning systems. Learn more here .

Learning how to self-regulate the learning processes to make efforts to learn more effectively is a key life skill. Not surprisingly, one of the most important characteristics of successful learners is their capacity for self-regulation. In this brief, Hector Ruiz Martin shares expert insights on how to regulate one’s learning processes is nothing other than learning to learn. Download the report here .

Digital skills are becoming more relevant than ever, because of the digital revolution that we are experiencing in the labor market, but also due to the accelerated needs for them that COVID-19 brought about.  There have been efforts to help develop and assess digital skills. Yet, despite these efforts, many people still face difficulties in developing an appropriate level of digital skills. Download this brief and learn how we can develop, train, and measure digital skills, as well as the implications of training and measurement of digital skills.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought such chronic stress to the lives of young children on a scale not seen in modern times. Mental health experts warn that the chronic stress of young children has substantially increased by the COVID-19 pandemic and is reported to worsen over as stressors stemming from this crisis have caused sudden and ongoing  disruptions in multiple domains of daily life. Download this report and l earn more here .

In this brief , we examine the concept of literacy and digital literacy. Then, we review the latest digital literacy studies in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the European Commission, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Lastly, we provide suggestions by comparing digital literacy studies, including ICT studies, in South Korea with international literacy assessment metrics. This brief aims to contribute to developing digital literacy measurements applicable to ICT in education internationally and mitigate the digital divide. Learn more here .

Media literacy education is a tool for combating mis/disinformation in a time where there is so much uncertainty. The lack of credible news means that we are left with news stories driven by propaganda, misinformation, or manipulated content and even fiction or just fallacy. This impacts every person in every situation and influences the conversations, policy, and beliefs whether we are talking about race, gender, economics of poverty, climate, and so much more. Learn more here .

Creativity is a critical human 21st-century skill that allows us to produce novel and valuable ideas. Creative ideas are original and make a unique contribution to any field, but also, they help to solve complex problems that humanity is continuously facing. Creativity is essential at the individual level to solve problems on the job and in daily life. This brief will discuss how creativity has been conceptualized and will share some strategies to foster creativity in a learning environment and the workplace. Also, it will discuss how technology impacts creativity development. Learn more here .

As we face the ravages of COVID-19, climate change, economic disparities, and social injustice, the world needs listening skills more than ever. Listening skills are one of the core life skills that are critical in life, work, and school. Listening skills enable children to access information, develop other skills, such as empathy, and critical thinking, and have better academic performances and lives. Listening skills are one of the most desired and needed in workplaces. In this brief, we explain the importance of listening skills and listening processes. Then, we review how policymakers can help develop listening skills. Lastly, we review how policymakers can measure and assess listening skills. Learn more here .

To this end, the curriculum reform is at the top of the education agenda today. Skills gaps are growing between what society and the labor market need, and what formal systems of education and training provide. The curriculum is the primary instrument for education systems to translate what society needs in terms of human capital, into specific content, competencies, and skills. This  new IDB report  examines how different education systems inside and outside the Latin American and Caribbean region have incorporated 21st century skills in their curriculum, and the enabling conditions to translate the intended curriculum into a de facto curriculum in the classroom. How people are educated and trained today will determine whether countries in the region will be able to transform and provide greater prosperity and opportunities for all. Discover best practices and lessons learned  here .

Latin American and the Caribbean region must invest in its human capital and take advantage of its demographic dividend in order to prosper, innovate, and achieve sustainable growth. The Bank will continue to foster 21st century skills in the region by strengthening ecosystems, promoting public-private partnerships, and providing lifelong learning opportunities.

Stay tuned and follow our blog series on education, economic opportunities and #skills21. Download our publications on skills for life and keep an eye out for our news!

Liliana Serrano Pájaro

Liliana Serrano Pajaro is a consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in the “21st Century Skills” initiative and supports the implementation of training projects in Colombia and the region. His experience includes coordinating the cooperation for Latin America and the Caribbean of the human development and education programs of the Organization of American States (OAS), as well as the expansion of the OAS Consortium of Latin American Universities with governments, universities and higher education institutions. Also, she has experience supporting regional innovation initiatives that promote the use of ICTs in education. Liliana is a Social Communicator and Journalist from Universidad de la Sabana in Colombia, she has a certification in Design of Social Impact Alliances from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and has more than nine years of experience in the area of ​​communications in education and development programs for Latin America and the Caribbean.

JungKyu Rhys Lim

Rhys Lim is an educator and behavioral scientist. Dr. Lim's research studies how to help people, communities, and organizations prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises and threats (such as climate change, automation, aging, migration, and health risks public). To help people better meet these challenges, Dr. Lim supports the IDB initiative that strengthens education and training ecosystems for 21st century skills. He has a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Maryland.

Cecilia Rodríguez Alcalá

Cecilia Rodríguez Alcalá is the founder of Paraguay Educa, an NGO dedicated to providing opportunities for children and youth in Paraguay to develop life skills through Edtech. Cecilia is an advisor for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and for the educational platform META. She is currently a consultant at the Vice Presidency for Sectors and Knowledge of the IDB and is working in development projects of the social sector.

Reader Interactions

August 15, 2023 at 2:37 pm

The Green Skills for Youth to towards a sustainable world is an Agenda that needs a special attention, for this to be achieve there is a need for robust sensitization by organizing a youths Engagement at National and Communities level, for them to understand their role and responsibilities to the Green Skills For Youth towards a sustainable World. Therefore, I am kindly asking IDB to extend their support to Africa to undertake a project that will let the youth to understand what really the Green Skills for, and how Important is it to them. Kindly contact me via email [email protected] for submission of project Proposal Thank you

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Reimagining the future of skills: what do young people think?

Digital connectivity and online learning can expand opportunities for young people around the world Image:  REUTERS/Jorge Silva

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Stay up to date:, youth perspectives.

• COVID-19 is casting a long shadow over the futures of young people all around the world.
• On World Youth Skills Day, we asked young people their thoughts on redesigning education and skills for the post-COVID era.

For children and young people looking to gain an education and skills, COVID-19 has made a bad situation even worse.

Before the pandemic, they faced a growing mismatch between the skills they were learning in school and those needed for employment.

Now, under the shadow of COVID-19, over one billion are out of school altogether. And millions of young people who were set to join the workforce cannot find jobs.

Have you read?

How youth and technology can drive africa's covid-19 response, this teenager has a plan to mobilize young people everywhere.

This moment is an important opportunity to reimagine how, and what, education and skills are delivered to prepare students for a rapidly changing world of work.

But governments and businesses cannot address this problem alone.

So, on World Youth Skills Day, we decided to bring together young people from Algeria, Argentina and South Africa to hear their thoughts about how we can re-design and re-imagine education and skills systems to meet their needs.

The virtual discussion, moderated by Mari-Lisa Njenga, a youth advocate from Kenya, identified four important principles that should guide change.

1. Modern skills, not old fashioned curricula

You have 20th century teachers educating 21st century students. It’s like a 100-year gap.

There was a strong sense that schools and universities aren’t currently equipping young people with the right skills, and aren’t teaching in a way that makes the most of modern technology and resonates with young people today.

“I believe we need to make educators aware of the fact that education curricula are outdated,” said 20-year old Rafik Amrani, who studies business and computer sciences at the American University of Beirut. He thinks businesses have an important role to play. “They know which skills are lacking in their recruits so they can tell educators which skills are relevant,” he added.

2. Soft skills are key

Young people need strong communication and advocacy skills so they can ask for what they need and drive change.

The young participants agreed that to be successful in the future of work, their generation will need strong soft skills such as communication, critical thinking and resilience - and that they’ll need to keep learning all their lives.

“When a policy doesn’t exist or a rule is in favour of a specific group in your community, you need to know how to be able to change that,” said Maryam Elgoni, a masters student in international relations. “For example, how to start a petition, organise a march, or effectively give input into a policy or your company programme.”

According to Ulises Brengi, a landscape architecture student at the University of Buenos Aires, we need to stop looking at skills as high-level, academic knowledge, and more as human skills. “I hope that this crisis will take us to a new and more responsible economy, not only based on making a profit. In order to achieve that, we need people with strong soft skills,” he added.

3. Digital connectivity and digital learning

This crisis has taught us that online learning is possible. It’s taught us how to use online tools to exchange skills, teach and learn.

Another theme that came through strongly was the potential of digital connectivity and online learning to expand access to opportunities for young people around the world.

“To reimagine the future of skills, I think we need more diverse online learning exchange programmes. And if we can make sure every young person, everywhere, has access to a cellphone and the internet, it’s a way for us to build a fairer future for skills,” Brengi added.

4. Reach vulnerable communities

In Sudan where I grew up, you don’t necessarily aspire to become an engineer, you aspire to become someone’s wife and I think that needs to change.

Access was another key theme we discussed during the session. “It’s the notion of decentralising education and understanding that it doesn’t only happen in the classroom,” explained Elgoni. “It’s also about specifically trying to reach out to those who are in vulnerable situations.

“On the business side, it’s about creating opportunities for people in vulnerable spaces,” she added. “When you think of people getting internships, it’s often because they’re in the suburbs or they’re able to access office parks. We need to make sure young people in vulnerable communities have access to those opportunities too.”

Elgoni also shared a powerful vision for the future which we should all aspire to: “I look forward to a future where every young person who has a dream will never feel their dream is limited because of their circumstances,” she said. “That there is no skill that is unreachable because of who you are or where you are.”

Watch highlights from our session in the video above .

The session was just one expression of our shared commitment to helping to address the growing gap between the skills people have and those needed for the new digital world. Earlier this year, PwC and UNICEF embarked on a global collaboration to help upskill millions of young people around the world. In addition, as founding partners of the World Economic Forum's Reskilling Revolution Platform , our organizations are contributing to the initiative to provide better jobs, education, and skills to one billion people by 2030. We’re also supportive of the Forum’s Great Reset initiative, aimed at creating a fairer, more sustainable world after the pandemic.

PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.

UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.

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• Statements and Messages

As ‘Drivers of Change’, Young People Must Be Engaged in Decisions about Their Future, Secretary-General Says in Message for World Youth Skills Day

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on World Youth Skills Day, observed 15 July:

Today, we highlight the importance of transforming youth skills for the future of work.

Young people are disproportionately impacted by interlinked global crises, from climate change to conflicts to persistent poverty.  The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these fragilities.  In 2020 alone, youth employment fell by 39 million.  Today, 24 million young people remain at risk of not returning to school.

The pandemic also accelerated the transformation of the labour market, adding uncertainty and widening the digital divide.  We must ensure the right of young people to effective and inclusive education, training, and lifelong learning.  That requires ramping up youth skills development, while investing in technical vocational education and training, broadband connectivity and digital skills.

That is why I will convene a Transforming Education Summit in September that will bring together world leaders, youth and other education actors.  Young people are drivers of change and must be fully engaged in decisions affecting their future.  Guided by the United Nations Youth 2030 strategy, I urge everyone to act for youth skills development as a priority, at the Summit and beyond.

Together, let us build a more just and thriving workforce, rescue the Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind.  I wish you a happy World Youth Skills Day.

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Message on World Youth Skills Day 15 July 2022

15 July 2022

Together, let us build a more just and thriving workforce, rescue the Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind.

Today, we highlight the importance of transforming youth skills for the future of work.

Young people are disproportionately impacted by interlinked global crises, from climate change to conflicts to persistent poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these fragilities. In 2020 alone, youth employment fell by 39 million. Today, 24 million young people remain at risk of not returning to school.

The pandemic also accelerated the transformation of the labour market, adding uncertainty and widening the digital divide. We must ensure the right of young people to effective and inclusive education, training, and lifelong learning. That requires ramping up youth skills development, while investing in Technical Vocational Education and Training, broadband connectivity, and digital skills.

That is why I will convene a Transforming Education Summit in September that will bring together world leaders, youth and other education actors. Young people are drivers of change and must be fully engaged in decisions affecting their future. Guided by the United Nations Youth 2030 strategy, I urge everyone to act for youth skills development as a priority, at the Summit and beyond.

I wish you a happy World Youth Skills Day.

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Equipping youth with skills for the future

July 15, 2022.

Angela Lusigi

UNDP Resident Representative in Ghana

With the youngest population in the world, Africa now has the chance to transform its future. More than 70 percent of the population is under the age of 30. Yet, this promise for transformation remains untapped.  Many of these young people are either unemployed or underemployed with few prospects for decent and fulfilling work. The gap between  youth skills and the marketplace is often cited as one of the reasons for this disconnect.

Relevant skills are needed but our systems are falling short

Ramping up education and skills development as outlined in Sustainable Development Goals is now urgent. SDG target 4.4 calls for a ‘substantial increase in the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills.’ Yet our current system is falling short.  Evidence shows that in many cases, formal education is failing to address the learning needs of Africa’s young people and diverse workspaces.

With the exponential rise in technological advancements, the skills gap is widening.  Technological ability is currently considered the most important skill required. The value of technological competence cannot be underestimated. However, today’s youth need to cultivate a new set of intelligence and skills to keep up with the lightning-pace of this changing world.

These skills of the future must go beyond technological competence

Reflecting on the needs of the future on World Youth Skills Day points to three skills that youth need to unlock current and future opportunities. These include Digital Intelligence, Relational Intelligence and Collective Intelligence.

Youth skills must balance digital life with real life

Digital intelligence will help Africa’s youth to navigate the real impact of emerging digital technologies. On one hand, technological advancement is creating positive benefits by easily connecting people and ideas across space and time. Yet, this intense interaction with diverse tools can result in negative consequences such as digital addiction and the rapid spread of disinformation.

To mitigate this, users need Digital Intelligence . This is the ability to question ‘When, What, Where, Why, Who and How much’ of their relationship with digital technologies. High Digital Intelligence will enable the youth to overcome the challenges and demands of digital life including application of new digital knowledge and skills while maintaining a connection with real life.

Youth skills must build connections between people

Secondly, relational intelligence will help youth to protect human interaction. In today’s digital world, online acquaintances are often mistaken for real friends. Affirmation is determined by the number of ‘likes’, and ‘influencers’ have become the new mentors. Navigating social situations in a technologically advanced world calls for a high level of Relational Intelligence . Protecting relationships in real life and the space they occupy will help young people invest the right amount of time and effort in relationships that enhance their lives.  

Youth skills must power collective action

Thirdly, Collective Intelligence recognises that everyone has skills, knowledge or areas of expertise that bring value to the group.  It has been said that ‘If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together’ (African proverb). To find solutions to current and future problems, the youth need to appreciate the value of working together.

Growing youth skills creates a fairer future in a digital society

As young people are creating their future now, applying these skills will help to make it fairer and more equal. The future is digital, so achieving a fair and just future requires youth to keep people and ethics at the centre of technological advancement. We already have some good examples of African youth at the forefront of using technology to co-create a future for people with different abilities in Ghana.

Students from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Cape Coast have developed Ghana’s first AI robot to assist persons with disabilities. The robot reads body language in order to feed people who are unable to use their hands. Similarly, Tech Era , a social enterprise run by young people, is helping youth to develop affordable and accessible assistive technology for people living with disabilities in Ghana. In addition, iStammer app , a digital solution by young innovators connects stammers to speech therapists to enhance their speaking abilities, confidence and inclusion.

These innovations show what youth can do when they fully utilise digital knowledge as well as relational and collaboration skills. They are changing the world and ensuring that no one is left behind.

Investing in youth skills is the key to our common future

At the 2021 YouthConnekt Summit hosted by the Government of Ghana and supported by UNDP, the message was clear.  ‘Demographic dividends do not come automatically; they have to be earned. To realise the dividend, African countries have to invest in the empowerment, training and employment of our young people. The time to invest in equipping our youth with skills for the future is now.

'African countries have to invest in the empowerment, training and employment of our young people. The time to invest in equipping our youth with skills for the future is now' ~Angela Lusigi

A Message from Youth: Transforming Education!

My name is Victoria. I come from Nigeria and grew up Lagos State with three siblings. Ever since I remember myself in education, I felt frustrated.  I had a learning difficulty and I was feeling less-than because the curriculum does not cater for children with different needs such as those who struggled with reading and comprehension, like me. This not only affected my academic success but also my self-esteem and social-emotional development.  In 2013, as a student, I  realized the disconnect between what was taught in the curriculum and what were the relevant skills that youth need to thrive in the society. I was bothered by the lack of effectiveness of education to prepare learners to meet the challenges of the present and maximize opportunities of the future.

This personal experience made me understand how urgent is the need to invest in quality education.To some extent, Africa has bridged the gap in free basic education but my concern is whether the education we receive is relevant enough to produce the kind of leaders, entrepreneurs, thinkers and doers needed to transform the continent, and the world. This flow of thought inspired me to start OneAfricanChild to serve the educational needs of children, particularly those in disconnected communities so they can build a better future for themselves and the society. 

In our experience, an interesting way to transform education is by instilling the ideals of global citizenship education in learners through creative learning methods. It is important to meet the learners where they are and engage them in experiential activities using games, simulations, role play and storytelling, so that those who may feel excluded, feel motivated to participate in the learning process. 

Beyond this,  education should facilitate social interaction where learners are at the centre in designing the learning process. Education must inspire curiosity and encourage exploration in learners. Also, by teaching important values of global citizenship to learners such as empathy, resilience and diversity, it is possible to connect to the heart of learners and empower them to take responsibility as active citizens. 

Since 2017, as UNESCO youth representative to the Steering Committee for Education 2030 (the coordination mechanism for the implementation of SDG4), I have had the opportunity to voice and advocate for the ideas of young people on transforming education as well as their perspectives on how Education can transform lives. Together with four other exceptional youth representatives from different regions of the world we have worked to push for meaningful youth engagement in Education, particularly in the context of the SDG4 Review this year.

Meaningful youth engagement in shaping and delivering Education is critical today. It is a make-it or break-it factor that will determine how meaningful and efficient the transformation process will be. Youth represent an important agency in shaping the future of education based on our first-hand experience Spaces and opportunities for youth engagement in transforming Education must be created and sustained at all levels – from the global level and the work around SDG4 to the regional, country and local level where, day-to-day,  youth are confronting with issues of access, relevance, equity and inclusion in Education. Youth advisory groups, student councils, online youth education hubs – young people today have the capacity and the willingness to engage in many different ways. It is not enough to give them a seat at the table but to rather engage with them in a continuous and relevant manner. And, in this, it is important to consider that issues affecting young people and education are dynamic, continuously evolving and different from region to region. What is happening in Africa, my region, is different from Europe or Latin America.

We need collaboration, empathy and teamwork in order to transform education and young people play an important role in creating an agile, sustainable and lifelong education system that addresses the needs of the future. The success of every society is dependent on its ability to maintain an educated populace overtime. Therefore, we need the connection and experience of young people to recreate the educational experience to meet the demands of today and the future. 

Empowering more youth to join the teaching profession will go a long way to improve quality education, promote inclusion and ensure equity in education particularly in underrepresented communities. Finally, if we are to provide a sustainable solution to education in a rapidly changing world, we need to leverage on youth-led innovations and assistive technologies that will transform the learning environment for every child. 

UNESCO’s Youth Programme is working to engage youth all over the world. 

• More on UNESCO’s work with youth
• Join the UNESCO Youth Online Community
• Contact: youth@unesco.org

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Secretary-general's message on world youth skills day.

Today, we highlight the importance of transforming youth skills for the future of work.

Young people are disproportionately impacted by interlinked global crises, from climate change to conflicts to persistent poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these fragilities. In 2020 alone, youth employment fell by 39 million. Today, 24 million young people remain at risk of not returning to school.

The pandemic also accelerated the transformation of the labour market, adding uncertainty and widening the digital divide. We must ensure the right of young people to effective and inclusive education, training, and lifelong learning. That requires ramping up youth skills development, while investing in Technical Vocational Education and Training, broadband connectivity, and digital skills.

That is why I will convene a Transforming Education Summit in September that will bring together world leaders, youth and other education actors. Young people are drivers of change and must be fully engaged in decisions affecting their future. Guided by the United Nations Youth 2030 strategy, I urge everyone to act for youth skills development as a priority, at the Summit and beyond.

Together, let us build a more just and thriving workforce, rescue the Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind.

I wish you a happy World Youth Skills Day.

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Transforming Youth Education to Support the Achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

About the author, jayathma wickramanayake.

Jayathma Wickramanayake is United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth.

At the end of May this year, I visited the Gaza Strip for the first time in my life. I was there to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) with their work on advocacy, policy influencing and resource mobilization. While visiting a school, I met two young people, Deema and Kareem, who were kind enough to show me around. Deema, Kareem and their friends dream of becoming teachers, doctors or engineers. They told me that their school represented their best, and only, hope for a better future, one in which they could realize their ambitions and reach their full potential. However, Deema and Kareem fear they will not be able to achieve their dreams because their school—managed by UNRWA—is seriously underfunded due to significant cuts in financial support to the Agency.

Let me put things in a global perspective for you: 263 million young people between the ages of 6 and 17 are out of school, and the same is true for 60 per cent of young people between the ages of 15 and 17. 1  Some 617 million young people worldwide lack basic mathematics and literacy skills. 2  And for girls, the situation is even worse. Far too often, in fact, they are marginalized and left out of school simply because of their gender. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 15 million girls of primary school age will never get the chance to learn to read or write in primary school, compared to about 10 million boys. 3  If you think that’s bad, I’m not done: if you are a girl and live in a conflict-affected or rural area, come from a poor family or have a disability, you are 90 per cent more likely than boys to miss secondary school. 4  All these statistics provide clear evidence that significant transformations are still required to make education systems more inclusive and accessible.

Access to quality education is not only beneficial for young people but also for the world. 

A plethora of barriers prevents young people from accessing quality education. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially girls, might be forced to work, manage their households or care for their siblings. Young people could be affected by conflicts and emergencies; child marriage; pregnancies at a young age; disabilities; and a lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. Whatever the circumstances, however, everyone—including Deema and Kareem—has a right to learn and receive a quality education. Access to quality education is not only beneficial for young people but also for the world. Educating boys and girls increases productivity and facilitates economic growth; knowledge about sanitation, immunization, nutrition and general health can save lives; and quality education provides girls and boys with the skills they need to take on leadership roles at local and national levels, enabling them to take part in decision-making on matters that affect their lives and their communities. If that is not convincing enough, young people who are educated on human rights can defend themselves and others; support their personal and their communities’ health and well-being; and contribute to building stronger families, communities, nations and, ultimately, the world.

At the United Nations, we are very aware of the potential held by the 1.8 billion young people living in the world right now. We want them to realize this potential. In 2015, the Member States of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for the people and planet. The widely shared motto has since been “Leave no one behind”. Leave no one behind in poverty; leave no one hungry; leave no one out of decent work and economic growth; and, crucially, leave no one without access to quality education. As part of this global agenda guiding the whole world towards a better future, we made a commitment to achieve the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.

We want to guarantee that all girls and boys can complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education. We need to support those who are in dire need of education so they are able to compete in the continuously changing job market and the fourth industrial revolution. With more than 64 million young people unemployed today and another 145 million young workers living in poverty, we cannot afford to continue exacerbating the skills gap. 5  We must bridge this gap through all means necessary.

Education needs to effectively combine knowledge accumulation, life skills and critical thinking, enabling young people to navigate changing economies rapidly and successfully. 

Yet, in the midst of this learning crisis, we have the solution right before us: schools should provide education to prepare young people for both life and work. Educational attainment alone, however, does not provide the expected social and economic returns. Education needs to effectively combine knowledge accumulation, life skills and critical thinking, enabling young people to navigate changing economies rapidly and successfully. Education must also enable young people to adopt sustainable lifestyles and contend with climate change—the greatest challenge of our time. Education needs to reflect our world’s diversity, including marginalized groups, and ensure gender equality. It should promote a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity.

In our increasingly complex and interconnected world, learning is key to lifelong personal and professional success. Learning enables us to seize and create opportunities. Out of interest or necessity, each one of us seeks new knowledge or training to acquire, update and enhance competencies. This is especially critical for the current generation of young people, given the rapidly changing future of work, characterized by technological advancement and the need for an accelerated transition to green and climate-friendly economies. The creation of new technologies is also transforming the way we learn. However, while such technologies support learning for many, access to them is not always universal. It is our duty to ensure that technology leaves no one behind. Only when policies adopt a life cycle approach, and quality education and training are adequately funded and equally available to those who are marginalized, will individuals have the agency and capacity to act independently and make free choices.

To achieve this ambitious but reachable goal, we need to transform education. We must refocus our efforts to improve the quality, eliminate deep disparities, and invest more in infrastructure and access. How are we doing this? Here at the United Nations, working with and for young people is at the centre of all we do. In September 2018, Secretary-General António Guterres launched Youth 2030, the United Nations Youth Strategy. Youth 2030 is the first document of its kind at the United Nations. It envisions a world in which every young person’s human rights are realized, where young people are empowered to achieve their full potential; it recognizes young people’s strength, resilience and their positive contributions as agents of change. Education is one of Youth 2030’s key priorities: we are advocating for quality education by engaging Member States and other partners to ensure universal access to such education, and to develop and deliver quality and inclusive education for young people that is learner-centred, adopts a lifelong learning approach, is relevant to their lives and the social and environmental needs of their communities, and promotes sustainable lifestyles and sustainable development. We are also promoting non-formal education by advancing youth policy frameworks that support non-formal education and its role in the development of young people’s knowledge, skills and competencies.

As I said earlier, the United Nations works with young people who are taking matters into their own hands. Since my appointment as the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth in 2017, I have met a large number of inspiring young leaders. These leaders are working hard to ensure that no one is left without quality education. No act is too small. One example is Amélie Jézabel Mariage, a Young Leader for the SDGs. Amélie is a champion of inclusive education in Spain and globally. She is also the co-founder of Aprendices Visuales—an award-winning tech non-profit that uses the power of visual learning to teach children. Together with her partner, Miriam Reyes, Amélie developed a series of e-books and applications with pictograms in five languages to teach autonomy as well as social and emotional skills, reaching 1 million children who are experiencing barriers in accessing inclusive education.

On 12 August, we will celebrate International Youth Day. This year’s theme, “Transforming education”, highlights the world’s efforts—including those pursued by youth themselves—to make education more inclusive and accessible for all young people. It will examine how Governments, young people, and youth-led and youth-focused organizations, as well as other stakeholders, are transforming education into a powerful tool to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Efforts should be directed to developing the right mechanisms to empower and educate young people.

Transforming education is no easy task, but it is an imperative one. Efforts should be directed to developing the right mechanisms to empower and educate young people. Governments may have a lead role in providing a lawful environment that safeguards and promotes human rights. Civic, religious, educational, business, labour, cultural and social organizations at all levels of society have important roles to play in reinforcing respect for human rights, as well. We need to unify our efforts in securing access to quality education for all.

Though my mission to the Gaza Strip has ended, I will not stop advocating for the rights of all young people—including Deema and Kareem—until they all are able to realize their full potential.

1.  UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 263 Million Children and Youth Are Out of School. Available at  http://uis.unesco.org/en/news/263-million-children-and-youth-are-out-school  (15 July 2016).

2.  UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 617 million children and adolescents not getting the minimum in reading and math. Available at  https://en.unesco.org/news/617-million-children-and-adolescents-not-getting-minimum-reading-and-math  (21 September 2017).

3.  UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 263 Million Children and Youth Are Out of School. Available at  http://uis.unesco.org/en/news/263-million-children-and-youth-are-out-school (15  July 2016).

4.  United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, “Education for All Global Monitoring Report”, Policy Paper, No. 21 (Paris, 2015). Available at  https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000233557_eng .

5.  International Labour Organization, Youth Employment. Available at  https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/youth-employment/lang--en/index.htm  (accessed on 06 August 2019).

The UN Chronicle  is not an official record. It is privileged to host senior United Nations officials as well as distinguished contributors from outside the United Nations system whose views are not necessarily those of the United Nations. Similarly, the boundaries and names shown, and the designations used, in maps or articles do not necessarily imply endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

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World Youth Skills Day 2022: Transforming Youth…

15 July 2022

World Youth Skills Day 2022: Transforming Youth Skills for the Future

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Through Sustainable Food Systems pp 229–245 Cite as

The Role of Youth in Achieving the SDGs: Supporting Youth-Led Solutions for Sustainable Food Systems

• Dario Piselli 5 , 6 ,
• Siamak Sam Loni 7 ,
• Kayla Colyard 8 &
• Sienna Nordquist 9 , 10  
• First Online: 11 October 2019

1387 Accesses

3 Altmetric

Young people are often identified as “the leaders of tomorrow”. In recent years, however, this mantra has slowly been replaced by a growing emphasis on the role of youth communities as critical agents of change, “leaders of today” who are already contributing to the sustainable development of their economies and societies. This holds particularly true for the challenge of food system sustainability, given that increases in agricultural productivity and broader rural transformation critically require skills and knowledge that rural youth are more likely to possess over older adults. Accordingly, this chapter analyzes the interplay between existing youth-led contributions to implement Sustainable Development Goal 2 (‘No Hunger’) and the challenges imposed upon young people by unsustainable agricultural practices and food systems. First, the chapter examines the negative impacts that unsustainable food systems have on rural youth, including in terms of rural outmigration, youth unemployment and rural poverty. Secondly, the chapter focuses on young people’s actual contributions to sustainable food system transformations, as well as on the importance of addressing the barriers facing young farmers and entrepreneurs in their countries and communities.

• Youth bulge
• Sustainable agriculture
• Food systems
• Youth-led solutions
• 2030 Agenda
• Rural development

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See https://www.barillacfn.com/en/bcfnyes2018/ . Accessed 17 September 2018.

See https://www.resolutionproject.org/issues/agriculture . Accessed 17 September 2018. The Resolution Project specifically counts 29% of fellows working directly on food and agriculture and an additional 20% working indirectly on wider food systems challenges in the areas of environmental conservation and climate change.

See http://e4impact.org/mba/meet-our-champions/ . Accessed 17 September 2018. More specifically, 221 of the 659 ventures supported by E4Impact are categorized under the Agriculture and Food sector.

AIESEC. (2016). YouthSpeak global report. Resource document . AIESEC. Retrieved September 17, 2018, from https://issuu.com/aiesecinternational/docs/report_youthspeak_2016 .

Amsler, K., Hein, C., & Klasek, G. (2016, July 15). New skills or access to resources: what do young farmers need most? CGIAR. Retrieved September 17, 2018, from https://ccafs.cgiar.org/blog/new-skills-or-access-resources-what-do-young-farmers-need-most#.W6T6TC2Q2L0 .

Atlaw, D., Estruch, E., & Termine, P. (2016). Youth mobility, food security and rural poverty reduction (RYM). Resource document . FAO. Retrieved July 26, 2018, from http://www.fao.org/3/a-i6099e.pdf .

Baumann, P. (2002). Improving access to natural resources for the rural poor. Resource document . FAO. Retrieved September 17, 2018, from http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/ad683e/ad683e00.htm#Contents .

Bertelsmann Stiftung and Sustainable Development Solutions Network. (2018). SDG Index and Dashboards Report 2018. Global Responsibilities. Resource document . Bertelsmann Stiftung and Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Retrieved September 17, 2018, from http://www.sdgindex.org/assets/files/2018/01%20SDGS%20GLOBAL%20EDITION%20WEB%20V9%20180718.pdf .

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Piselli, D., Loni, S.S., Colyard, K., Nordquist, S. (2019). The Role of Youth in Achieving the SDGs: Supporting Youth-Led Solutions for Sustainable Food Systems. In: Valentini, R., Sievenpiper, J., Antonelli, M., Dembska, K. (eds) Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Through Sustainable Food Systems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23969-5_13

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Youth empowerment: Reimagining and transforming skills development in Western and Central Africa

Ekua nuama bentil, yoko nagashima, himdat bayusuf, jamil salmi, assane dieng, venkatesh sundararaman.

The Western and Central Africa (WCA) region is home to an estimated half a billion people and more than 40% of the population is under the age of 15 , as shown by the data from the United Nations Population 2030 report , making the youth one of the greatest assets of this region . The youth population is expected to grow further .For example, Mali ’s youth population is projected to see a stunning 71% increase , while Nigeria’s one is expected to increase by approximately 60% between 2015-2030. Of course, in light of these facts alone, it is critical that all WCA countries fully harness this demographic dividend to support their economic development goals. Furthermore, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the rise of the digital economy , offer unprecedented development opportunities that did not exist before.  However, even though these figures may seem promising, they can trigger significant challenges, if the governments do not accelerate their support to the youth population through enhanced opportunities for education, training and jobs. 

Today, the question on the minds of most policy makers and education experts is: What would it mean for the region to reimagine, realign, and recommit to Africa’s youth skills development? There is one obvious answer – “business as usual” is not an option!

Western and Central Africa is a vast area of diverse landscapes, cultures and languages. The region is also facing significant challenges such as high-levels of youth unemployment, chronic gender gaps in post-basic education attainment and workforce participation, threat of climate change, high levels of poverty, vulnerability and inequality – all exacerbated by the current pandemic. In addition, more than 70% of the region’s population is living in fragile, conflict and violence-affected countries.

Although the region has made significant progress in access to basic education (high gross enrollment rate), several challenges remain. These include, among others, too few youth with access to high quality and market relevant skills development programs. Additional challenges stem from insufficient data on labor market and employability; inadequate financing; and weak governance and quality assurance systems. Although WCA countries are experiencing a fast rate of digital transformation, there is a persistent and wide skills gap, especially in advanced digital qualifications, compared to basic and intermediate digital skills.  The 4IR is reshaping the demand for skills, requiring well-qualified engineers, technicians, information and communication technology (ICT) specialists with adaptable, strong cognitive and socio-emotional skills, in addition to their technical skills.   

A highly skilled labor force in a thriving digital ecosystem will increase the ability of WCA countries to compete on a global scale, by attracting investments; promoting innovation in service delivery and value-addition to natural resources; as well as generating knowledge-intensive activities.

To address these challenges, the World Bank is developing a Regional Education Strategy (2022-2025) with a key focus on skills development and young women’s empowerment. This Education Strategy derives from the recently-launched multi-sectoral WCA Regional Strategy (2021-2025) . Moreover, the document is anchored in a strong regional consultative approach, which ensures close engagement with relevant regional stakeholders (i.e. governments, development partners, civil society, youth organizations, the private sector, and key influencers).

Drawing from regional and global experiences, the WCA Education Strategy is identifying transformative, scalable and results-oriented models and interventions for improving youth skills development in WCA, including the following critical issues:

• The use of educational technology (EdTech) and innovative pedagogical approaches (e.g. EdoBest in Nigeria);
• Hands -on practical training, entrepreneurial and industry engagement models (e.g. Sèmè City in Benin ) ;
• Sustainable financing and incentives to improve access for vulnerable youth (e.g. Skills Development Fund in Sierra Leone );
• Modernization of governance of sector systems and institutions (e.g. Workforce Singapore in Singapore);
• Public-Private partnership for skills development and higher education (e.g. Ashesi University in Ghana );
• Regional collaboration s (e.g. Africa Centers of Excellence ).

Building on key lessons from the COVID-19 crisis, digital technology will be playing a crucial role in support of innovative curricula as well as pedagogical practices in the education and training sector. However, we need to say that technological solutions are useful only if they are available in an equitable and inclusive manner. It is therefore vital that investments in infrastructure (including energy and connectivity) emphasize inclusiveness to eliminate disparities across the region and within the countries.  All children and youth deserve to fully benefit from these technological solutions.

A call to action

Today, more than ever before, African governments have the power to adopt and implement the right solutions to unlock the potential of Africa’s youth. As strong commitment combined with ownership and strategic partnership can make a difference at all levels, all regional leaders in both the private and public sectors must work together. We all must strive to build not only relevant and resilient skills development systems – across both Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Higher Education, but also equip the youth, especially young women, with the skills and tools needed in a world where the nature of work is rapidly and constantly changing.  The opportunity costs of not undertaking these reforms could be incredibly high and we cannot afford to fail now!

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Making the young 'future ready' for a peaceful and sustainable world

Message by Prof. Anantha Duraiappah, Director Of UNESCO MGIEP

The future of our world lies in the hands of the youth – with over three billion people below the age of thirty-four. For more peaceful and sustainable societies to foster, the bulge of this youth demographic will play a vital role in dealing with changing environments and the challenges of the 21 st  century.

To contend with issues such as exponential economic growth, increasing population, globalisation and rising inequalities, education systems will play a crucial part in equipping the youth with suitable skills to make them ‘future ready’. Education systems need to transform themselves to empower the young with socio-effective skills that will help them effectively and efficiently respond to these challenges.

A report released in 2015 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) titled ‘New Vision for Education – Unlocking the Potential of Technology’ highlighted that in a technology driven world, students must possess competencies such as critical thinking and collaboration and character qualities including curiosity and adaptability in addition to the language arts, mathematics and sciences. Subsequent studies and reports by the WEF re-enforced these results, identifying the need for education systems to impart socio-emotional skills to complement the ‘technical skills’.

In the sixth issue of the Blue Dot, we focus on the importance of the 21 st  century skills for the young.

Based on existing research in the neurosciences, UNESCO MGIEP has identified four competencies that it believes the youth need to be equipped with to effectively address the challenges of the 21 st  century – including critical inquiry, mindfulness, empathy and compassion, which form the new integrative curriculum of UNESCO MGIEP’s LIBRE programme.

In the sixth issue of the Blue Dot, we focus on the importance of these 21 st  century skills for the young. The issue includes a foreword by the Minister of Human Resource Development, Government of India on the importance of inculcating 21 st  century skills in education systems and our Cover Story, which introduces UNESCO MGIEP’s LIBRE programme that follows an ‘integrated brain’ approach to education. Additionally, we feature opinions by specialists from academia, research and the industry on the lacuna present in existing education systems and the opportunities available to address this gap by introducing socio-emotional skills and inquiry oriented learning into curricula. Amongst various experts, we hear from Ines Kudo and Joan Hartley from The World Bank on the importance of ‘Teaching empathy and compassion in schools’; Prof. K.P. Mohanan on ‘Critical Inquiry and Inquiry oriented education’ and Dr. Marilee Bresciani Ludvik on how mindfulness forms the foundation for cultivating compassion.

Further, we present excerpts from a collection of ‘Ask me Anything’ sessions focused on socio-emotional skills, hosted on Knowledge Commons, UNESCO MGIEP’s knowledge sharing platform. We have been honoured to have the opportunity to host and learn from experts such as Dr. Richard Davidson, recognised as one of ‘The 100 most influential people in the world’ in 2006 by the Time Magazine and Chade-Meng Tan, currently the Chairman of Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute and Co-chair of One Billion Acts of Peace, which has been nominated eight times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Blue Dot and, as always, look forward to your feedback in order to improvise future editions of the magazine.

Anantha Kumar Duraiappah Director, UNESCO MGIEP

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