Youth participation, such as the active youth involvement in the Arab Spring or Malala Yousafzai’s fight for women’s rights, is currently shaping the global order. This type of participation; inspired by social change, human rights, innovation, peace and prosperity; is critical for global development in today’s world. Although perspectives from individuals of all ages are important, those of youth are even more so as they have a vision for a sustainable future and the energy to create the necessary changes to make the world a better place for themselves and their children.
However, effective youth participation is marred by several challenges, including unemployment, drug abuse, crime, violence and HIV/AIDS. The international community is trying to address these challenges by engaging with youth. For instance, the Youth Initiative by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) facilitates active youth involvement to promote positive drug awareness and healthy lifestyles in their schools and communities.
One such organisation uniquely placed to address these challenges is Commonwealth. Approximately, 87% of the world's young population lives in developing countries. The Commonwealth predominantly consists of developing countries—in fact, it is home to nearly a third of the world’s population, of which more than 60% are under 30 years of age.
