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- Advocates increased investments in digital skills education for African youth
Between April 25 and 27, the Founder and Executive Director of Webfala Digital Skills for All Initiative (WDSFAI), Mrs Nafisat Bakare, joined other young changemakers and world leaders at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States, for this year’s UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum.
Themed “Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”, the Youth Forum was co-organised by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth.
The 2023 ECOSOC Youth Forum provided a platform for young leaders around the world to engage world leaders, policymakers and other global stakeholders on critical issues relating to youth development and the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A statement released on Friday, 28 April 2023, by the Director of Communications and Strategy for WDSFAI, Hameed Muritala, explained that Bakare represented the organisation at a series of sessions and side events at the Youth Forum.
“As an organisation that is committed to youth development and passionate about empowering young people through digital skills and STEM education, our Executive Director, Mrs Bakare, participated in the side event on ‘Skills for Inclusive and Decent Work in Africa’s Digital Economy’, where participants discussed barriers, opportunities and best practices to enhance digital skills for youth in Africa,” the statement noted.
The session was organised by The INCLUDE Knowledge Platform, Canada’s International Development Research Center (IDRC), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs, and sponsored by the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands to the United Nations, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations
In her remarks at the event, Bakare called for increased investments in youth empowerment and development initiatives for African youth. According to her, one important way to make young people self-reliant and employable in today’s digital world is to empower them with digital skills, resources and opportunities. This is at the core of what we do at Webfala Digital Skills for All Initiative. We believe that acquiring digital skills is a must for every child in this 21st century.
“Governments and leaders in Africa must acknowledge the importance of young people and engage them in decision-making at all levels. Young people must be empowered and supported to reach their full potential. Without a doubt, youth have critical roles to play towards the realisation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and building a better future for all.
“It has become imperative for governments at all levels in Africa to invest more in youth empowerment and development initiatives for young people. We must expand access to resources and increase opportunities for African youth that will enable them to create their own future, compete favourably with their counterparts around the world and drive the development of Africa. It is crucial that we work together to ensure that young people in Africa are at the forefront of global efforts to recover from the pandemic and achieve the SDGs before the 2030 deadline,” Bakare said.
