Stina Soewarta Introduces the Voice of Youth

This week we’re marking the recent launch of the Youth in Development group by publishing interviews with several young people who took part in the European Development Days (EDDs) 2013. Youth ambassadors, competition winners and panellists shared their thoughts with us on development issues, and their hopes for the post-2015 development agenda.

The youth ambassadors were a new addition to the EDDs. “We know that whatever we decide after 2015 towards 2030 or 2050, when we discuss development, sustainable development, poverty eradication, those are the people that will lead the world tomorrow and so they need to be in that discussion right from the start. [...]That it is not the usual people sitting around the table discussing this. I think it’s important that you let young people have a voice,” explains Stina Soewarta, the Head of Unit for Communication and Transparency at EuropeAid.

Voices & Views

The week will kick-off with Esther and Restanti, sharing their thoughts on empowering youth and the work that they have done assisting their peers in the areas of sexual health and nutrition...

... we will then meet Luciano and Jenny who are both actively involved in improving youth participation in governance...

...and finally David speaks about the challenges and discrimination that he’s faced as a young person with disabilities, and the work that he’s done to change this. 

We will also feature other content in the groups, including interviews with two of the Young Voices Against Poverty video contest winners. 

Please join, share, and learn how the youth of today feel about development policy between 3-7 February 2014.