Because Youth Perspectives Matter: UNESCO toolkit for youth policy and programming
Some 50 percent of the current world population is 30 years old or younger, and by 2030 youth will constitute 57 percent of the total world population.
The Toolkit
Young people are at the forefront of social change – they engage in political processes and use collective action to address concerns on societal issues. However, their potential roles as actors and partners for finding innovative solutions for todays’ problems are often not adequately recognised.
UNESCO’s Toolbox ‘Because Youth Perspectives Matter’ is a technical resource to help make and apply much-needed changes in the ways in which national and international stakeholders interact with and work on behalf of youth.
The tools in the Toolbox propose holistic and cross-sectoral approaches that build collective ownership by youth stakeholders and ensure the meaningful and effective engagement of youth throughout every level of society.
The toolbox hopes to make three fundamental shifts in society in how youth are perceived, supported and engaged with.
- Acknowledging youth for who they really are in their diversity.
- Moving away from working in silos to address the challenges facing youth.
- making sure that youth engagement in public decision-making is ensured and meaningful.
