Why I Struggled to Celebrate International Youth Day this Year?

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If you have interacted with me in person or through digital platforms you know I am an avid advocate of issues affecting adolescents, youth and women. 

Any efforts going into these cause I will cheer on with my heart and soul. This year I felt challenged or rather constrained to celebrate International Youth Day (IYD) a day I have celebrated for a decade now.

Let me begin by explaining the spirit behind IYD. This is a day celebrated annually on 12th August following a resolution passed by the General Assembly in 1999 endorsing recommendations made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 Aug 1998). They also recommended that public information activities be organised on this day to promote awareness of the World Programme of Action For Youth. 

This year's theme was, 'Youth Engagement For Global Action' with an aim of highlighting how youth engagement can be enhanced in different levels to enrich processes and institutions from grassroots to global level. [Source: un.org]

Youth engagement is critical for development given they forms a large population size in Kenya and around the globe. Apart from their energy, they also possess new ways of doing things especially in this era of living in a global village. 

As per the 2009 population census in Kenya, the youth (18-34) constitute about 13.7 million which is approximately 29% of the total population. Among this population we have a high number living below the poverty line, surviving from hand to mouth, living in the state of hopelessness and also wallowing in different mental health conditions and in hopelessness.

When we look at youthful leadership there is little to be desired. We have a few young parliamentarians with some trying to be responsible leaders others are busy destroying the reputation of youthful leadership. As for those appointed to positions there are those who has become a total embarrassment.

With that said, do you think we can have meaningful youth engagement? 

My thoughts are Yes and No. 

Youth engagement is not just about involving the youth in political, social and economic processes. It is about having the youth responsible for the little space they have been given and applying the change and representation by supporting others.

The thing most youth fail to realize is that, the sun waits for no man and soon the years will be gone like the wind. You may be signing, forever young but your energy and opportunities available for you don't last forever.

It goes without saying that, the youth have been disenfranchised for decades willingly and unwillingly. 

It is about time we take our rightful place on the decision making table and be the drivers of change not just crying foul. 

Maybe now you can relate to my struggle of celebrating IYD. If we stopped allowing people to masquerade as youth and allow the impact of the actual youth to be felt across all sectors then maybe my struggle would end. Hope this years celebration will actually spark change.

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