1.2 Billion Reasons Why Countries Must Empower Young People to Plan the Future

July 10, 2017A tidal wave of youth is fast approaching the shores of adult society. It ’s time to ensure they are part of the global conversation.This piece originally appeared onHuffPost:When I was growing up in Senegal, it was a very strict environment for the young. We were told when to speak and when not to speak, and if we tried to mingle with the adults while they were talking, we were likely to be shooed away.As young people, we were rarely invited to make our voices heard.But on our journey to empower young women and men with contraception, we must travel a different path than that traditional one of silencing the young while the older people make all the decisions.Today, the largest generation of young people in the history of the world is about to enter adulthood. That ’s 1.2billion people who will soon need jobs, places to live, and a diverse array of lifelong health services.This moment in history is a critical one for our global population.In India, one million people turn 18 every month. That country alone will have to create10 million new jobs per year in order to accommodate all the young people entering the workforce. And in Nigeria —whose population will soon outgrow that of the United States—40% of the population is under 14.This moment in history —thisdemographic tipping point, as Melinda Gates calls it —is a critical one for our global population. A tidal wave of youth is fast approaching the shores of adult society, and their power and potent...
Source: IntraHealth International - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: news