Launched in September 2019 at the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates and during the UNGA week in New York, connected by Facebook, State of Youth has reached over millions of children worldwide. They gather in this online community via participative forums and share information to advocate their beliefs and their take on pressing issues facing the world today, addressed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through the lens of children’s rights. Also, these key issues and their specific relevance to the youth community are shared via an editorial Instagram channel (@Stateofyouth) to build awareness. The offline chapters will be the next step for State of Youth, where Changemakers are able to take action and make the change happen in their own local communities. Through a mobile campaign, launched on November 19, millions of youth will be called upon to create action!
Visit the website for offline Chapters here.
Before launching worldwide, State of Youth ran a Pilot Program during the summer, in which it gained its first 9 Chapters, from 3 different countries: Brazil, Kenya, and India.
Alice, a 16-years-old, Chapter Leader of State of Youth Goiânia, Brazil says: “To be part of this experience has been truly incredible and unique. It has been about discovering that our voice matters, and that there is no limit to change in the world when you have support. As we join with more people with the desire to transform the world into a better place, the results can only be amazing. As a team, we have been discovering so much about ourselves and each other. We are doing something that is making us so proud, which inspires other young people to join us, and that is because all of us are willing to step out of our comfort zones.”
Alice has already carried out her first project, raising awareness about women’s health, combining SDG3, SDG5,and the Children’s right to health and of non-discrimination. She started a conversation by breaking many taboos and involving her youth community. She saw the impact of her work as more volunteers wanted to support and join her Chapter, which is now working to launch a digital, youth-led newspaper.
Laureen, a 23-years-old, Chapter Leader of State of Youth Kirinyaga, Kenya, has already carried out 4 activities on different themes such as: children’s right to health for girls (SDG 4 and 5) and Children’s right to a life free from violence, especially on sexual harassment (SDG5), involving more than 30 peers in her community. She says that her ultimate goal is to unite, represent and empower Kenyan youth.
Marc Dullaert, chair and founder of the KidsRights foundation stated: ”Nearly half of the world’s population is under 24 years old. Even though some youth are able to vote, are they really being represented?
It is our mission to unite all young people across the world in one digital borderless state. Together we can create awareness, advocacy and action and bring about change, to solve the most important issues of our time. Large-scale youth emancipation, led by an unstoppable wave of youth, is taking place!“.