African Youth: Leveraging Creativity for Change

African youth advocates and activists are focused on several priorities around economic, gender, and political justice. However, leaders and governance structures don’t always make it easy for young people to chart a way as agents of change. What’s more, competing narratives and siloed development work can make it difficult to be agile and sustainable allies for youth movements on the continent.

With a median age of 19, African youth continuously demand social change, better governance, and representation. From Senegal to Nigeria to Zimbabwe, African youth have mobilized for long-awaited change through robust movements such as Y’en a Marre, Balai Citoyen, People’s Movement, #EndSARS, and #FeesMustFall, which often succeed in the short-term but lack staying power. Faced with high unemployment, the stark realities of climate change, and other challenges, African youth are employing innovative strategies beyond the streets to tackle the issues most pressing to their future, particularly through technology, the arts, and social entrepreneurship.

This panel discussion will consider why it’s essential that the arts are part and parcel of any youth engagement strategies. Young people need to be supported to make meaningful contributions to decision-making processes with campaigns and activations that meet them where they are. This includes creative youth-to-youth organizing that builds participation and capacity. 

Please join the CSIS Africa Program and Accountability Lab for a panel discussion on the mechanics of meaningful and transformative youth campaigns that give young people opportunities to influence policy decisions and engage with decision-makers. A networking lunch will follow the panel discussion. Please note that in-person registration is limited to 50 participants.

This event is made possible through the generous support of Accountability Lab and Open Society Foundations