Make Way for youth: 5th African Youth SDGs Summit

What an incredible few days! As youth representatives based in Zambia for Make Way, we were eager to attend the 5th African Youth Sustainable Development Goals Summit. The Summit stands as the premier youth-driven platform for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across Africa. During the Summit, we presented our Youth Manifesto, reflecting on the progress made with the SDGs and the inclusion of meaningful youth engagement. To be present at the 5th African Youth SDGs Summit as youth representatives was truly an honour. Advancing young people’s involvement in universalising sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), while recognising that young people must be meaningfully engaged in all their diversities is vital to ensuring everyone can enjoy their SRHR. 

What is the African Youth SDGs Summit?  

The African Youth SDGs Summit was established on the premise that youth development and engagement is at the core of attaining the 2030 Agenda. It brings together different sectors from youth coalitions to governments to NGOs and the private sector. This year’s theme focused on attaining the SDGs through youth innovation and financing for inclusive development in Africa. 

Mobilising young people 

Prior to the Summit, the Zambian-based youth representatives co-developed and implemented a pre-Summit event, aimed at bringing together 28 young people from various civil society organisations and community-based organisations to develop a Youth Manifesto. The young people unpacked and reflected on Zambia’s progress in attaining the SDGs and the meaningful engagement of young people, which was then adapted into a Youth Manifesto. This Manifesto was presented by youth representative, Bertha Chulu, at the Summit during a panel discussion on accelerating progress on the SGDs. The Youth Manifesto highlights the challenges faced by young people and calls on all governments and institutions to acknowledge and take into account the compounded vulnerabilities of young people – ensuring accessible and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, information and education for youth in all their diversities. Beyond the presentation of the Youth Manifesto at the Summit, the youth representatives networked and formed synergies with like-minded organisations and young activists – familiarising the concept of intersectionality and sharing the Make Way SRHR toolkit. Additionally, the youth representatives fostered knowledge exchange by learning from the experiences of other participants and young people to incorporate these best practices into Make Way programming.

Youth representation 

To further the voices of young people, particularly at a Summit focused on youth, it is critical to ensure young people’s needs are represented and implemented in the SDGs when it comes to their SRHR. It allows young people to have a voice in shaping policies and initiatives that directly affect them today and in the future. It ensures that their perspectives, concerns and ideas are considered, leading to more relevant and effective solutions. Involving youth promotes intergenerational dialogue and fosters a sense of ownership over the SDGs. This ownership cultivates a culture of personal responsibility for young people to be agents of positive change in their community. Kholina, one of the Zambian youth representatives, shared that the importance of youth attendance at the Summit: 

“It allows young people to learn more about SDGs through sharing knowledge and experiences, including skills on how to address challenges that hinder young people in taking part in the implementation of SDGs. The Summit provides a great opportunity for collaboration, sharing of best practices and building allies.”  

Moving forward 

The African Youth SDGs Summit offered numerous learning opportunities and a chance to understand what our fellow young people are doing all around Africa and in Zambia. It provided an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the global health perspectives on reproductive health and the SDGs themselves. Kelvin Besa, a youth panel member from Zambia, shared the value of networking with many  organisations, leading to potential collaboration after the Summit. Overall, we learnt that now more than ever, young people are ready. We are willing to challenge the status quo, energised to change the future, committed to safeguarding our planet and improving the reproductive health outcomes of young people. The Summit taught us the power of partnerships and coalition building. Advocacy cannot be conducted in silos, hence it is very important that we embrace reverse mentorship (intergenerational dialogue) to plan for the next seven years of SDG implementation. If young people show up at their optimum health, they can better participate effectively and productively in national and international development.