PRESS RELEASE
Fondation Botnar and UN-Habitat launch the Young Gamechangers Initiative
[UN-Habitat]
[UN-Habitat]
29 June 2022
At the eleventh session of the World Urban Forum, Fondation Botnar and UN-Habitat launched the Young Gamechangers Initiative (YGI), a three-year engagement that addresses the health and wellbeing of young people in growing cities.
Funded by Fondation Botnar and led by UN-Habitat, in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Block by Block Foundation, the initiative is open to all municipalities, non-profit organisations and researchers and will focus on improving the urban health of young people through their active engagement in urban governance, design of inclusive public space and digital engagement.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises young people as the driving force for global change, and that long-term sustainability will not be achieved without the meaningful engagement of the 'Urban Youth Bulge'.
"By 2030, 60 per cent of the population will be under 18, which means young people are our urban future."
During the Children and Youth Assembly at the World Urban Forum 11, Maimunah Mohd Sharif added that "it is crucial for children and young people to have the right platforms where they can voice their needs" and that "young people are not the future leaders, but the leaders of the present."
Participation of children and young people is one of the General Principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as it plays a fundamental role in realising all the rights in the Convention for all children. The right to be heard is particularly reflected under article 12; however, if we do not provide the right tools, we risk that their needs are disregarded.
“Denying young people a place at the decision-making table means denying them their democratic right to participate,” said Stefan Germann, Chief Executive Officer of Fondation Botnar.
“We are living in a digital world, and we must acknowledge that young people are the digital experts. At Fondation Botnar, our mission is to promote the health and wellbeing of young people in cities; through better engagement in urban governance and leveraging digital tools, young people’s voices will undoubtedly strengthen and shape our collective urban futures. We are thrilled to join UN-Habitat and partners in this new initiative and harness innovative tools and participatory approaches to realize equitable city systems for all,” he said.
Signed on Minecraft, a video game adopted by UN-Habitat as a participatory tool, UN-Habitat and Fondation Botnar launched the Young Gamechangers Initiative, committing to collaboratively advance the youth agenda.
UN-Habitat invites intermediary cities in Colombia, Senegal, and India to express interest in joining the initiative through the Expression of Interest (EoI) that will be open from 1-31 July 2022. Registration to the information webinar at here.
About Fondation Botnar
Fondation Botnar is a Swiss philanthropic foundation working to improve the health and wellbeing of young people living in cities around the world. Advocating for the inclusion of youth voices and the equitable use of AI and digital technology, the foundation invests in and supports innovative programs and research, and brings together actors from across sectors to create dialogue and partnerships. www.fondationbotnar.org