The virtual Global Youth Summit (23 – 25 April), organised by the six world’s largest youth organisations*, brought together young people, leaders, policy makers and changemakers to fix everything that has been broken during COVID-19 and share and agree solutions.
The Summit promoted the talents, creativity and connectedness of young people aged 14-30, and of course, we focused on young women. It was by young people, not for young people. Participants declared it the most youth representative event they have attended!
Get involved after the Summit. There’s still a chance. Take these three steps.
One of the key steps is to apply to win funding! $2 million is available for young people’s solutions for the pandemic. You have an opportunity to submit proposals for local funding if you have innovative ideas, big or small, around recovery during COVID-19. We want to invest in those who are building communities and advocating for youth rights and more during this tough global period. The application portal is open.
Everyone has a chance to win funding, so please have the confidence to apply and spread the word through your networks. Apply as soon as you can!
To help you apply for funding, the themes of the Summit were education, inclusion, well-being and work. Watch over 45 engaging sessions here, as well as pledges of support from world leaders.
Top benefits of the Summit:
- Inspiration from young women ensuring we have a strong voice;
- Building back better post COVID-19 with solutions to challenges including gender based violence, menstrual and sexual health, mental health, work and childcare;
- Being part of a very unique project, funded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), giving you a chance to network with young people globally, leaders and policy makers;
- Contributing to Goal 2035 for the World YWCA movement: By 2035, 100 million young women and girls transform power structures to create justice, gender equality and a world without violence and war, leading a sustainable YWCA movement, inclusive of all!
The World YWCA organised sessions on gender equity, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and menstrual health. We brought together YWCA leaders from Kenya, Japan, Ethiopia, Canada, Nepal and Uganda to present.
*The Global Youth Summit is organised by the Big Six group (World YWCA, WAGGGS, World YMCA, Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, World Scouts Movement and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC)).
The Summit is just a start: a series of national and regional events will follow, where the concept will be contextualised to the national and regional needs of young people. Learn more here about the Global Youth Mobilization movement.
If you are a woman who believes in the transformational power of young women to make long lasting, positive impacts, donate to #YWCALeaders.