ActionAid Palestine to Celebrate international Youth Day 2020
Palestine-ActionAid Palestine(AAP)joined the celebration of this year's International Youth Day(IYD), which falls on 12th of August each year under the theme of which is “Youth Engagement for Global Action” ", highlighting the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching national and international institutions and processes.
Palestinian youth (18-29 years) comprise about 23% of the total population. The Palestinian society has been continuously described as a ‘young society’; nevertheless, Palestinian young people face many challenges affecting their economic, social, health well-being and political representation. The high youth concern in Palestine is unemployment which increased to 42.10 percent in the first quarter of 2020 from 40.40 percent in the third quarter of 2019.
AAP celebrated this day because it is an occasion to celebrate achievements of Palestinian youth in the fields of education, voluntary work, job training, skills development, vocational training, community engagement , entrepreneurship, building international networks and solidarity and with Palestine, civil and democratic participation and digital knowledge through AAP’s programmes and projects. AAP reached those achievements through its partnership with educational institutions and local organizations fostering excellence and innovation in those structures.
On the national level, AAP engaged youth to overcome global challenges humanity currently faces as COVID-19 pandemic. Through “Civil and Democratic Participation of Palestinian youth” Programme, AAP gave Palestinian youth opportunities to engage in meaningful participation and decision-making processes and lead community initiatives in response and preparedness actions to fight COVID-19 and solve other emergency problems. For being first frontline responders to the COVID-19 pandemic, AAP built capacities of youth to take actions to contain the spread of the virus and promote their leadership and uphold their human rights.
The country director of AAP in oPt, Ibrahim Ibraigth said on this occasion: “Investing in the potential of young people is an investment in our society. Young people can create change and make their voices heard; they help build a better world. Young people are leaders. Young people are changing the world and shaping a better future for all of us. That’s why supporting young people is so important. Achieving political participation of youth and building cohesive and resilient societies in which young people can thrive, are priorities for AAP. For this purpose, AAP is committed to implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goal stating the importance of strengthening the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development”.
Background Information
ActionAid
ActionAid is a global federation working for social justice and gender equality and eradicate poverty. ActionAid works worldwide to empower people living in poverty and exclusion with focus on women’s rights .ActionAid works directly and closely with communities, civil society organizations, women movements and social groups and movements and other allies to tackle root causes of poverty and oppression. ActionAid deliver grassroots programmes to utilize efforts of global struggle movements working for a just, fair and sustainable world. Based on human rights-based approach and women rights’ principles, ActionAid seeks to fairly re-distribute powers through solidarity, empowerment, awareness campaigns and creating alternatives to ensure that everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from oppression.
ActionAid in Palestine (AAP) is a part of that federation which started its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian People as ActionAid believes that they should enjoy their rights to freedom, justice and self-determination. AAP implements a number of programs through its engagement with communities and women and youth groups seeking to empower them and enhance their influential civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective activism to address the protracted rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Palestine. AAP works simultaneously to enhance their leadership capacity and knowledge to practice their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers to account.
For more information, please contact
Riham Jafari
Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication in Gaza Strip and West Bank
Mobile:
+972 (0) 595242890
Office:
+972 (0) (2) 22 13 137
Email: