International Youth Day 2024

In recognition of International Youth Day (IYD) on August 12 and the contributions and leadership of young people around the world all year, IFES asked young leaders and alumni from across our programs to reflect on their own leadership, IYD 2024’s theme of digital innovation, and the new USAID Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) policy’s focus on meaningful youth engagement. * 

Each young leader answered the following questions: 

• How do you serve as a leader in your community?  

• The theme of this year’s International Youth Day is youth digital innovation. How can young people advance their leadership in online spaces while also maintaining the safety of themselves and their community?  

• USAID released its new DRG policy in July. One commitment USAID has made is to “promote the meaningful participation of young people within their communities.” How can USAID do this in practice?  

The stories shared here reflect the diversity of youth leadership and stress the importance of engaging young people in the design, development, and implementation of programming. With the meaningful inclusion of young people, we build stronger and more resilient democratic cultures. 

Esther, Guyana

“Hi! My name is Esther… and I’m a Lacuna Indigenous [woman] from Santa Cruz Village, which is found along the Barima-Waini River in Region 1, Guyana.” Watch Esther's Interview

   Mandy, Sri Lanka

“Hi! I’m Mandy… I’m involved in various community projects in Sri Lanka… and I’m really passionate about human rights, [sexual and reproductive health], digital marketing, and empowering youth.” Watch Mandy's Interview

Idrissa, Senegal

“My name is Idrissa… In my community, I’ve been involved from a very young age in community service, notably by volunteering in the evenings in various activities for my country.” Watch Idrissa's Interview

 Nabil, Tunisia

Nabil, a young person with a disability and alumnus of IFES’s Engaging a New Generation for Accessible Governance and Elections program in Tunisia, holds a professional technician certificate in Business Information Technology. He shared how he serves as a leader in his community:

• Be a positive role model: I always tend to present an exemplary model in adhering to ethical values and hard work. 
• Organize initiatives: I always run projects or campaigns that contribute to improving social or economic conditions, especially those that focus on advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities. 
• Promote community participation: I persistently try to motivate others to engage in community activities. 
• Provide support and inspiration: I offer advice and guidance to people or groups in the community to achieve their goals. 

In reflecting on IYD 2024’s focus on digital spaces, and to both advance youth leadership and protect young people online, Nabil suggested the following tips:

• Acquire the necessary skills to interact effectively and safely on the internet. 
• Use technology responsibly and respectfully, avoiding the spread of harmful or misleading content. 
• Protect personal information and activate security measures such as strong passwords. 
• Promote a culture of digital safety and good practices among peers and community. 
• Launch or join initiatives or projects that leverage technology to make a positive impact. 

Finally, Nabil shared that USAID can advance meaningful youth participation by providing grants and financial support to youth-led projects, developing training programs, encouraging partnerships between young people and local and international organizations, involving young people as decision-makers in designing and implementing policies and projects, and promoting awareness and education among young people about their participation in governance and development.

Olha, Ukraine

Hello, my name is Olha. I am studying to become a lawyer and am finishing the last year of my master's program at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Over the past few years, I have been actively involved in various youth projects. I completed an internship at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine; recently, I completed a three-month internship at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, supported by IFES, where I gained unsurpassed experience and knowledge.
I strive to be actively involved in my community and am always seeing ways to help address important issues. My commitment to foster positive change drives me to participate in different events and support youth projects.
It is important for me to inspire my peers through my example and active participation in joint initiatives.
As an intern at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, I can say that technology development and digitalization are an integral part of our lives. 

• I believe that digital spaces can be both useful and dangerous. Therefore, young people should take courses on digital hygiene, know the rules of online safety, be aware of the possibility of using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, and be aware of the means of protecting their personal data and information about themselves. 
• Young people can develop their leadership in the online space by using social media to build a personal brand, create useful content, and demonstrate their leadership skills. They can use technology and digital spaces to initiate various projects and initiatives in their community.
• I think it is important to raise awareness of possible initiatives among young people. I believe that volunteer programs and youth initiatives can encourage young people to actively participate in the social and political life of their communities. Establishing digital platforms where young people can discuss and exchange ideas for designing new projects is an excellent way to bring together like-minded individuals and help them seek the support necessary for further implementation.

*Interviews have been edited for length and clarity