International Youth Day: Making their Voices Heard

Aug. 12, 2010 — “I know I can be what I want to be. If I work hard [on] it, I will be what I want to be,” chant participants from CEDPA’s Better Life Options (BLO) program in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, where children are encouraged to make their voices heard.

The voices of youth are the focus of this year’s International Youth Day. International Youth Day was instituted by the United Nations to bring awareness to the conditions that children face around the world and the disregard for their rights.

Inequalities and inequities among the world’s children still exist. It is estimated that 101 million children do not attend primary school and girls are disproportionately represented in this figure. Similarly, HIV prevalence amongst young girls in eastern and southern Africa is three times higher than young men.

While there are still numerous obstacles facing youth, since the inception of International Youth Day 11 years ago some progress has been made. In primary education, the gender parity index is 96 percent or higher in most developing regions, and in Nigeria the literacy rate for males is 89 percent and 85 percent for females.

For over 20 years CEDPA has worked to ensure that youth, particularly girls, are given the tools and education needed to overcome the obstacles they face and ensure a productive future. The BLO program provides children who are in and out of school with participatory life skills training and encourages youth to re-enroll and continue in school.

The youths who completed the BLO program asserted that participating in the project has positively affected their lives.

The program is built upon a foundation that prepares youth to make healthy and productive choices in all areas of their lives, ranging from leadership skills to workshops on civic participation.

CEDPA has successfully implemented this program reaching girls and youth in Egypt, Ghana, India, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa. The BLO model is culturally adapted to each region to ensure that participants can relate to the lessons being taught.

In Nigeria, CEDPA has trained over 60 members of community-based organizations to facilitate the BLO program across the country. The impact of this program has been demonstrated and is supported by the community. One Nigerian BLO facilitator said, “The BLO project should not stop...it is [so] good and full of impact that the rest of the thousands of youth in Akwa Ibom communities that are not in school must benefit.”

The Nigeria BLO program began with an enrollment of slightly over 1200 youth. Eighty-six percent of those enrolled completed the program. The youths who completed the sessions asserted that participating in the project has positively affected their lives and caused them to better focus their approach to life. Twelve percent of those who completed the program returned to school.

At the end of the program, participants’ reproductive health knowledge improved 53 percent, their HIV knowledge improved by 21 percent and their overall family communication increased by 18 percent. Participants’ involvement in community improvement activities also increased from 40 percent at the beginning of the project to 63 percent at end.

Empowering youth with the skills and abilities to improve their lives ensures that the next generation of youth will be informed, empowered and educated; it also encourages an attitude of shared learning and respect that will lead youth into the future.

Learn more about CEDPA’s youth programs.

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