Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, YuWaah and UN agencies join hands for empowering young people in India
New Delhi: Driven by its mission to deliver meaningful engagement for young people, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MoYAS) and YuWaah (Generation Unlimited India) together signed on a partnership to empower young people today. The partnership was signed by Ms. Usha Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF Representative in India, in the presence of Mr. Asit Singh, Joint Secretary MoYAS and DG, NYKS and Ms. Dhuwarakha Sriram, Chief of Adolescent Development and Participation and Generation Unlimited at UNICEF India.
The partnership, in collaboration with UN in India (UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UNEP, UNHCR and ILO), aims to develop the potential of young people through meaningful engagement and participation in social, civic and community initiatives.
YuWaah is a multi-stakeholder platform that aims to prepare young people to transition from education and learning to productive work and active citizenship. The partnership will leverage both the Ministry and UN efforts to work with young people to co-create and implement solutions at scale with a focus on participation, education, skilling and unemployment challenges for young people in India, through listening deeply, creating collaboratively and leadership through changemaking.
Announcing the partnership, the Honourable Minister Mr. Kiren Rijiju said “The Government of India is committed to listening to young people’s opinions and ideas. These new ways of thinking are what we need to address many of India’s persisting and upcoming challenges. Towards this end, the MoYAS can be an effective bridge between young people together with partners like YuWaah and the Government machinery, and it will be great for YuWaah and MoYAS to partner together to reach millions of young people.” The minister further highlighted the importance of engaging young people in civic action. He spoke about the key achievements and strengths that NSS and NYKS volunteers demonstrated in the last five years and especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking about the partnership, Ms. Usha Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports said “We, at the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, see YuWaah as a unique opportunity that can provide a platform to fulfil ambitions and dreams ‘of the youth, for the youth and with the youth’.”
Mr. Asit Singh, Joint Secretary MoYAS and DG, NYKS said “We commit to partner with YuWaah and UN agencies to facilitate meaningful engagement and participation of young people in social, civic and community initiatives across the country.”
Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF Representative in India, and UN Resident Coordinator At Interim said, “The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, a key stakeholder of YuWaah, has spearheaded youth development and youth participation for several decades. YuWaah, through this partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and UN agencies in India will support young people of this country to build, lead their own agendas and thrive. This especially relevant today as we need to prepare young people for a rapidly changing world, to involve them in decision making and amplify their views on issues/matters that concern their lives, inspiring them to take action.”