“Young people are too often excluded by decision-makers – to the detriment of youth themselves and future generations.”
Ensuring the active participation of young people in discussing issues affecting them and their communities, as well as contributing towards identifying solutions they deem fit, are crucial to youth leadership and empowerment. This is why, creating platforms to reach the general public with information on why young people’s participation in decision making and peacebuilding processes through community and national structures is key to sustainable development, has been one of the ways UNFPA supports its partner ACTIVISTA -The Gambia through the UN Peacebuilding funded Women and Youth project
Since June 2020, ACTIVISTA has been hosting a youth talk show on QRadio and Home Digital FM dubbed “The Mainstream”, a one-hour live phone-in programme which brings together young minds, to lead discussions on various topics relating to inclusive participation in decision making, young people’s contributions to National development including the need to invest in their demographic in order to harness the Demographic Dividend and calls community, national and religious leaders to action in addressing issues impeding the fundamental human rights of all person in The Gambia.
The radio show also serves as tool for popularising The Gambia’s Draft Constitution, in order to gauge public perception on the draft, discussing whether young people’s aspirations and needs are reflected in the document and identifying the roles youth at the grassroots can support in civic education efforts to popularise the contents of the document.
With the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in The Gambia, the platform has been used to educate the public on the existing regulations and preventive measures put in place by health officials, to showcase how young people are contributing towards the National Response, among others. This has also provided an opportunity to reflect and discuss how the pandemic is impacting the lives of young people in all parts of the region as well as the impact on the progress of current reform processes.
According to Alhajie S. Nyang, National Coordinator of ACTIVISTA, the talk-show serves as a medium to promote peacebuilding and youth leadership through the agency of youth and women and provides an opportunity to amplify the voices of young people.
In our investments to ensure young people of The Gambia are empowered to drive change in their communities, UNFPA is committed to continue supporting youth to secure their spot at tables where decisions affecting their lives and communities are made and empower them to use their skills and voices to effect change at all levels.
Media contact:
Haddy Jonga - Programme Analyst Communications, UNFPA The Gambia jonga@unfpa.org
Isatou Jallow - Communications Associate, UNFPA The Gambia ijallow@unfpa.org
