By: Angel Babirye, President, AfriYAN East and Southern Africa
Every day, millions of young people — especially adolescent girls — are denied basic sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
The result? Futures interrupted. Dreams deferred. Lives reshaped by limitations that shouldn't exist. But something is shifting.
At the recent UNFPA Let’s Talk series, in the lead-up to the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, I shared a stage with global leaders. Initially nervous, I quickly understood that this was not a moment to shrink. It was a reminder that youth movements are not waiting to be invited into the conversation. We are the conversation.
Over the last three decades, we have made progress. But we need to be honest, the work is not done. Especially not for those on the margins, the ones least seen and least served.
From Beneficiaries to Co-Creators
Youth movements have transformed how change happens. No longer passive recipients of decisions made for us, we are now co-creators and we have the power in shaping policies, holding leaders accountable, and demanding that promises turn into practice. This shift matters. In Africa and beyond, young people make up the majority. Our involvement is not optional. It’s essential.
We are not just asking for seats at the table — we are building our own.
We are not just asking for seats at the table — we are building our own. From digital campaigns and Twitter Spaces to community-led programmes, youth movements are turning online momentum into offline impact. We are not mere hashtags but more of headlines.
However, digital advocacy alone is not enough. Many youth-led initiatives still struggle to access funding or meet unrealistic expectations without support. If we want sustainable change, we must invest in systems that empower young leaders to lead.
What is the vision of the youth beyond 2030? The post-2030 world must see young people not as future stakeholders, but as present-day partners. Institutionalizing youth leadership, not as token voices, but as equal decision-makers with the power to shape policies and budgets. This is the new frontier. And while we celebrate digital progress, let’s not forget the digital divide that excludes many. True inclusion means closing that gap.
Tomorrow’s youth movements will look different. They will be hyper-local yet globally connected. They will tackle SRHR, yes — but also climate, conflict, and inequality. They will be powered by AI, virtual reality, and imagination. But most of all, they’ll make youth leadership the norm and not the exception.
Speaking alongside global leaders was a powerful reminder: the future is not something we wait for. It’s something we build now. And young people? We’re already laying the foundation.
We are not the leaders of tomorrow.
We are the leaders of today.
