African Group

Youth Employment Campaign in Africa: http://www.yedia.net/

The Regional Committee for Africa was established on December 12, 2015, during the celebration of the Lagos Conference, with the name of Youth Employment Decade in Africa (YEDIA), an event that brought together important youth organizations in Africa to discuss the issue of youth employment .

YEDIA is characterized by a group of entities well organized and dynamic under the coordination of Ngwa Forbi Wilson, CEO of Cameroonian Integrated Youth Foundation Volunteer Foundation (IYVF). YEDIA, is organized in five Sub-Committees, wich are organized also in national groups.

In addition cross-committees are being created on specific topics, such as the African Gender and Equality Committee.

 Strategic activities YEDIA:

With the main target of developing an specific strategic plan to implement in Africa the Action Plan of the future International Youth Employment Decade and with several actions adapted to each context:

• Sharing knowledge and experience to know “What Works” in actions and impact programs on the employment of young people

• Networking: creating, maintaining and increasing our networks, we will be able to have more regions and specific locations where other organizations have difficulties in establishing contacts in this area.

• Multidimensional approach: YEDIA will focus on multidimensional and integrated analysis to build programs and actions to address youth unemployment from all perspectives: education, equality, poverty, human rights … Only in this way, and not only from one particular perspective, we can establish a general framework for action to create structures, policies and effective organizations that can ensure efficient and comprehensive work that fosters professional integration of young people.

• Strategic promotion of the Campaign: organize and mobilize activities in order to raise awareness about the needs that affect young people in unemployment, poverty, inequality and insecurity. We will improve awareness and dissemination of the objectives of the campaign between actors consider relevant for the proper development of it (African leaders, national and local government officials, youth leaders …) They will present the decisions taken regarding the Decade Youth employment in Africa, in line with UN SDGs, specifically goal number 8 on employment and economic inclusive growth for all.

Note: Another important part of YEDIA will be those who, voluntarily, and with previous experience in the field of mobilization and social awareness, are interested in participating with us in the development of this campaign in Africa.

 Future actions:

African Youth Employment Decade Summit	October 2016	Yaounde (Cameroon)
African Youth March for Decent Work in Africa	March 2016	Togo
Africa Youth Employment Decade Mobilization Campaign	12 August	Africa
Decent Work Give Peace	21 Sept. 2016	Africa
YEDIA  Day of Action	12 December	South Africa