The Africa Youth Forum, held on 15th August 2024 at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya, brought together a diverse assembly of 382 delegates, including leaders, policymakers, youth advocates, and other stakeholders, to explore and advance youth-led solutions for transformative change. The forum was attended by representatives from all 47 Kenyan counties and 6 African countries—Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Notably, 72% of the delegates were between the ages of 18 and 35, and 42% of the delegates were women, highlighting the forum's commitment to inclusivity and gender representation. The event centered around breaking barriers and amplifying youth voices through constructive dialogue, with a strong emphasis on sustainable development.
Young People Re-defining the Future of Democratic Processes in Africa
On the 11th of August 2023, The Youth Cafe, in partnership with Youth Democracy Cohort and the European Union, organized a webinar under the subject of ‘Young People re-defining the future of democratic processes in Africa.’ This 90-minute webinar explored how young people, especially young women, can take an active and meaningful role in shaping the democratic processes in Africa. This webinar was part of a broader project, “The Ignite African Youth Project” and was in line with the commemoration of International Youth Day 2023 under the theme ‘Green skills for youth towards a sustainable world’, highlighting the need for empowering youth with the skills necessary to drive sustainability initiatives at local and global levels.
The Youth Cafe Becomes A Member Of The Global Democracy Coalition
The Youth Cafe (TYC) is pleased to join the Global Democracy Coalition (GDC). The Global Democracy Coalition is a multi-stakeholder alliance of democracy organizations from around the world committed to advancing and protecting democracy worldwide and influencing the Summits for Democracy and the Year of Action.The Youth Cafe is committed to advancing and protecting democracy.
Youth Democracy Cohort Events
The Youth Political and Civic Engagement Cohort is one of the multi stakeholder platforms launched as part of the Year of Action after the first Summit for Democracy of December 2021.
Youth political involvement was not high on the agenda of the participating countries during the Summit for Democracy's early phases. According to the Democracy Dashboard, only six countries approved youth pledges during the first Summit for Democracy, which emphasized the importance of developing a strong and active group to place youth on the global democracy agenda.
Since its launch September 2022, the Cohort has gathered organisations from all continents to take meaningful action to implement the Summit for Democracy commitments on youth political participation through actions, resources, knowledge, research etc..
The Youth Café Empowers Youth Through Participatory Budgeting To Enhance Accountability And Transparency
The Youth Café (TYC) is a trailblazer in youth empowerment in Kenya, utilizing Participatory Budgeting (PB) to drive accountability, transparency, and good governance. Through its innovative PB approach, TYC has successfully mobilized over 76,000 young people across 12 counties, empowering them to take part in crucial budgetary decisions. With a staggering $3 million USD allocated through this process, TYC has set a new standard for how public resources can be managed effectively and ethically when young people are at the helm. This initiative not only empowers youth to influence public resource allocation but also transforms them into vigilant custodians of government accountability, ensuring public funds are directed toward community-driven solutions.
The Youth Cafe Joins The TrustLaw Network Of Nonprofits And Social Enterprises
The Youth Cafe is excited to become a member of the Trust Law. TrustLaw is the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s global pro bono service that links high-impact NGOs and social enterprises with the best law firms worldwide. Trust law offers free services for NGOs/social enterprises. They connect NGOs/social enterprises to lawyers in over 175 countries worldwide. TrustLaw works with high-impact organizations requiring pro bono legal assistance.