by Justin R. Langan As a resident of Manitoba’s expansive prairie lands, I experienced infrequent use of the term “youth engagement.” The organization of community events fell to adult leadership, while bureaucratic officials made policies, and young people received little opportunity to share their thoughts. Young people have consistently expressed themselves, although formal spaces have …

International Youth Day: Stop Telling Us We’re the Future Read More »

by Lucia Ene-Lesikar (Chair, Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network – CYCN), Bodh Maathura (Policy and Advocacy Lead, CYCN), Ashraf Nehal (Asia Regional Lead, CYCN) Introduction: Marking a Decade of World Youth Skills Day July 15, 2025 marks ten years since the United Nations General Assembly established World Youth Skills Day. The theme this year, “Youth …

COP 30: World Youth Skills Day – July 15 Read More »

by Imran Bacchus Many of the young people frowned up by society or who are deemed “troubled” have a past or story that haunts them. Many were raised in broken homes with limited access to resources. They may also have been victims of trauma, with no means of accessing the support needed at that stage …

Shattered Foundations: How Broken Homes Shape Young Lives Read More »

by Jemine Elsie Eyinmisan When the opportunity arose to attend the Commonwealth Youth Leaders’ Summit, scheduled for March 3 to 14, 2025, an event that brings together young leaders from the 56 Commonwealth Member States, I was thrilled! As a Nigerian woman born in one of these member states, I’m familiar with the Commonwealth and …

The Youth of the Commonwealth Read More »

by Imran Bacchus Our society has placed a great deal of strain on the lives of our young people. It has programmed them to think and behave a certain way; that they have to achieve a particular thing by a certain age. This sort of pressure and way of thinking is far from the realities …

Society and Young People Read More »

by Jasmine Koria The Commonwealth Youth Forum in Apia, Samoa opened on October 21 with an engaging Plenary Session on Leveraging Youth Leadership for Strengthening Democracies and Youth Engagement and Participation. Moderated by Prof. Luis Franceshi, Assistant Secretary General of the Commonwealth, and coordinated by Jasmine Koria of the Commonwealth Youth Forum International Taskforce, the …

Leveraging Youth Leadership for Strengthening Democracies and Youth Engagement and Participation Read More »

A recent two-day rural immersion camp to Dabhlon Village, organized by the Group for Rural Activities (GRA) [1] at IIT Bombay, provided students with a profound insight into rural life. Dabhlon village is located in Jawhar tehsil of Palghar district in Maharashtra, India. The journey commenced at 5 am from IIT Bombay with the students …

A Visit to Dabhlon Village: A Step into a Simpler Life Read More »

The Commonwealth Youth Programme and UNCTAD recently held consultations with key stakeholders from civil society, academia and leading entrepreneurs to update the youth entrepreneurship guide launched jointly by the two organisations in 2015. The Commonwealth Youth Programme participated in UNCTAD’s 11th multi-year expert Meeting on Investment, Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Productive Capacity-building and Sustainable Development …

Commonwealth and UNCTAD commit to update the joint policy guide on youth entrepreneurship Read More »