Meaningful youth engagement to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights
Every day, young people are enriching institutions and processes at the local, national, and global levels.
This year, the theme of International Youth Day is "Youth Engagement for Global Action." It highlights the importance and value of young people’s contributions and draws lessons on how their representation and engagement in formal institutional politics can be significantly enhanced.
The theme of the day raises three questions:
- What is meaningful youth engagement?
- What are the benefits and challenges of meaningful youth engagement?
- How does WHO strive to practice meaningful youth engagement in its work?
What is meaningful youth engagement?
Meaningful youth engagement, as defined by the 2018 Global Consensus Statement, is an inclusive, intentional, mutually-respectful partnership between young people and adults. Power is shared and respective contributions are valued.
Young people’s ideas, perspectives, skills, and strengths are integrated into the design and delivery of programs, strategies, policies, funding mechanisms - and organizations that affect their lives and their communities, countries, and world.
What are the benefits and challenges of meaningful youth engagement?
Meaningful youth engagement ensures that young people are equal and valuable partners – not only beneficiaries – in efforts to improve their health and wellbeing. It increases the likelihood that policies and programmes will be acceptable, appropriate, and responsive to their needs and preferences.
Although global rhetoric increasingly acknowledges the value of meaningful youth engagement, it often remains more of an aspiration than a reality. There is still considerable resistance to giving young people a place at the table.