Latest News And Updates
The AFS Forum 2024 underscored and reaffirmed the fundamental importance of food systems, and the critical situation faced by the food and agriculture sectors on this continent. Under the theme “Innovate, Accelerate, and Scale: Delivering Food Systems Transformation in a Digital and Climate Era”, it set out to launch Africa’s food systems into a transformative era based on sustainability and resilience.
The Africa Youth Forum, held on 15th August 2024 at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya, brought together a diverse assembly of 382 delegates, including leaders, policymakers, youth advocates, and other stakeholders, to explore and advance youth-led solutions for transformative change. The forum was attended by representatives from all 47 Kenyan counties and 6 African countries—Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Notably, 72% of the delegates were between the ages of 18 and 35, and 42% of the delegates were women, highlighting the forum's commitment to inclusivity and gender representation. The event centered around breaking barriers and amplifying youth voices through constructive dialogue, with a strong emphasis on sustainable development.
On 25 May 2023, The Youth Cafe Collaborated with OHCHR DESIB in a virtual Youth Engagement Session: This 90 minutes webinar session brought together youth from different countries and backgrounds in a dialogue to identify barriers to implementing economic, social, and cultural rights and approaches to operationalize these rights as a framework for addressing local and global challenges; raise awareness of the young people across the world about economic, social and cultural rights; promote initiatives and diverse implications of the youth; and to strengthen the linkages between the youth-led organizations.
On the 11th of August 2023, The Youth Cafe, in partnership with Youth Democracy Cohort and the European Union, organized a webinar under the subject of ‘Young People re-defining the future of democratic processes in Africa.’ This 90-minute webinar explored how young people, especially young women, can take an active and meaningful role in shaping the democratic processes in Africa. This webinar was part of a broader project, “The Ignite African Youth Project” and was in line with the commemoration of International Youth Day 2023 under the theme ‘Green skills for youth towards a sustainable world’, highlighting the need for empowering youth with the skills necessary to drive sustainability initiatives at local and global levels.
Every three years, the Women Deliver Conference galvanizes momentum for gender equality. It is a bold and diverse gathering, a fueling station of ideas, and a generator of action, convening thousands to identify solutions and drive change for girls and women. The first Women Deliver (WD) conference was held in London, UK, in 2007, bringing together 1,700 people and making the investment case for reproductive and maternal health; Women Deliver secured MDG 5 – Improve Maternal Health – on the global development agenda.
The Youth Cafe is developing its first iteration of the African Youth Development Index (AYDI) 2024, focusing on youth development in the continent. The relentless spirit of African youth has inspired this initiative and aims to provide an in-depth assessment of the youth's progress, challenges, and success stories. The AYDI 2024 showcases a keen focus on areas such as education, health, employment, civic participation, and environmental engagement.
The Youth Café, in its mandate to safeguard the public's interest, is investing in different policy interventions that have a direct bearing on the citizens, and accountability of the Kenyan Government. The 2022 elections are viewed as a moment to raise the integrity bar and root corrupt leaders out of office. During the past few years, corruption has increased significantly in the country. The whole idea of corruption has been ethnicized and politicized, allowing leaders and Kenyan citizens today to disregard the question of accountability, and as a result, we have performed poorly in the fight against corruption.
In partnership with the Nairobi County Government, The Youth Café will be organizing Public Participatory Forums targeting the youth in Nairobi in order to integrate their voices and proposals into the Nairobi City County Youth Policy. We believe that these forums will provide an opportunity for the youth who are the major beneficiaries, to give their input and enrich the draft the Youth Policy. The Youth Café is also dedicated to support The Nairobi County Government in the dissemination and distribution of the policy after its completion.
The Africa Business Forum is an annual event that brings together heads of states, policymakers, industry leaders, thinkers and private businesses to discuss the role of private sector in Africa’s development; cutting hedge and innovative ideas for financing sustainable development in Africa; and partnerships between African private and public sectors.
