A global youth-led movement for change
The world’s largest youth movements have joined forces with the World Health Organization and United Nations Foundation to launch the “Global Youth Mobilization for Generation Disrupted”. This groundbreaking initiative will invest and scale-up youth-led solutions and youth engagement, directing support towards a generation of young people severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Big 6 Youth Organizations
Engaging more than 250 million young people
For the first time ever at this scale, an alliance of the Big 6 Youth Organizations are coming together around a Global Youth Mobilization to shine a spotlight on young people whose lives have been disrupted by the pandemic. Rooted in millions of local communities around the world, the Big 6 involve more than 250 million young people and have contributed to the empowerment of more than one billion young people during the last century.
Leading the response and recovery
In local communities around the world, young people are driving change and contributing to the pandemic response and efforts through grassroots actions and voluntary service. The Global Youth Mobilization will focus on alleviating the negative consequences of the pandemic on young people, while elevating the ideas, ingenuity and innovation of young people working to respond to the global health crisis.
Key initiatives of the Mobilization
The Global Youth Mobilization will feature the convening of a Global Youth Summit in April 2021, and a fund of US $5 million to support local and national youth organizations, including grants for youth-led solutions and an accelerator programme to scale up existing response efforts.
Youth-led solutions
An open call to all young people to submit their solutions to local health and societal COVID-19 challenges with youth-friendly funding and an accelerator programme available to scale up the best and most effective ideas.
Global Youth Summit
A series of digital events dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the contributions young people have already made in response to COVID-19, and inspiring further action.
Advocacy and digital platform
Tools and resources available through a digital platform to support the efforts of young people in advocating for their needs in COVID-19 response and recovery plans at a local, national, regional and global level.
In-country activation
Funding and support for in-country activation directed towards local and national youth organizations around the world.
Strategic partners of the Mobilization
The Global Youth Mobilization is supported by the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO powered by the United Nations Foundation. It features a strategic partnership with the World Health Organization and its Youth Council, along with the involvement of high-profile global partners, brands and a network of social media influencers.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) primary role is to direct international health within the United Nations system and to lead partners in global health responses.
The United Nations Foundation is a U.S.-based charitable foundation that supports the United Nations and its activities.
Issues the Mobilization will address
Today’s generation of young people will be disproportionately affected by the long-lasting consequences of the pandemic. Here are some of the key issues and challenges the Global Youth Mobilization aims to address.
- Gaps in education and schooling
- COVID-19 health effects and lack of healthcare
- Economic inequalities and lost employment
- Grief, loneliness and mental health challenges
- Domestic and gender-based violence
- Gender inequality and family planning support
- Negative stigma of young people
We
Our recent work
Launch of Global Youth Mobilization
A new ground-breaking global youth mobilization was launched by the world’s largest youth movements and organizations, together with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Foundation.
Young People Championing Post-Pandemic Futures
This paper offers key policy recommendations to support youth development and alleviate the long-term societal consequences of the pandemic.
Joint position on non-formal education
This joint position paper from the Big 6 highlights the importance of education and learning as lifelong processes that contribute to the development of young people.
World Non-Formal Education Forum
The World Non-Formal Education Forum is a global event for leading organizations and partners working in the area of non-formal education and youth development.
Rio Declaration on Non-Formal Education
The Rio Declaration on Non-Formal Education sets out an ambitious action agenda, capturing the voices and visions of the World Non-Formal Education Forum.
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