On March 8, 2021 we celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”. The Generation Equality Youth Task Force highlights youth leaders from all over the world that are increasing efforts and taking leadership to achieve #GenerationEquality and #ActforEqual. We asked four young women in leadership positions why they believe that youth leadership is important to achieve gender equality.
Meet Nueh Anitta Chuo, Program Director with Bihndumlem Humanitarian Association of Peace and Hope (BIHAPH) in the North-West Region of Cameroon.
‘’25 years ago, especially in the African Region, restrictive cultural and societal norms imposed on the lives of women to have access to the same spaces as men to let their voices be heard and have a say in the decision making process. Today, in the 21st century many of the women that stood at the forefront in Beijing 25 years ago are ageing out and young people have a very important task to accept the baton that has been passed to us and run with it! To me, youth leadership to achieve generation equality is making use of the charisma, the strength, and the courage that young people have, to make their community, and the world a better and safer place for humanity.
Meet Ruba Hilal, member of the Independence Youth Union in Palestine.
“As a young woman growing up within the Arab society, I am very passionate about promoting and fighting for youth leadership within my community, because I know what it means to see the potential of youth and the positive influence we can have within our society but not being able to have a voice to present our ideas. Youth leadership to achieve generation equality is absolutely necessary to ensure that young people have a safe space in society in which they can participate in changing and shaping the world they are living in. Without youth leadership, societies are neglecting a very important sector and will only slow down the journey to achieve sustainable development.’’
Meet Yukari Nanjo, member of Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) in Japan.
“Youth leadership is an important part of realizing the SDGs’ pledge to "leave no one behind" and achieve gender equality. It will have a great impact on identifying and solving gender injustice if youth are fully enabled to demonstrate their leadership. I believe that young people feel close to and care about the present and future in which they live as much as senior stakeholders, yet their commitment is not fairly recognized and evaluated enough. Therefore, I believe that they will be able to make more vigorous decisions as well as new ideas.’’
Meet Fay King, Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Group of the UNFPA Suriname.
‘’As a young woman from the Latin America and Caribbean region, youth leadership in the journey to achieve generation equality is necessary because 20% of the total population of the region is between the age of 15 and 24 years. Young people must have a seat at the table where decisions are being made and actions are implemented to ensure that their voice, beliefs, and ideas are included. It’s time to bring young people their voices and opinions to the forefront. To let them be included in the changes on policy level they know and are aware of what they want their future to look like. It is time to give them that podium.’’