Nairobi — The African Youth Adolescents Network on Population and Development ( AfriYAN ) network, was honoured for their leadership and commitment, and realizing the rights and making choices for all at the UNFPA Awards in Nairobi during the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD25) .
And on receiving this distinction, the young activists dedicated it to Mabingué Ngom, regional director of the West Africa and Central Office of UNFPA, and also the designer of the movement #PutYoungPeopleFirst.
A mark of gratitude, if you will, to the man who, in his leadership, has always promoted youth engagement on development issues. Ngom has always considered that "young people must be at the heart of the development of African countries".
According to the Executive Secretary of AfriYAN Pape Arona Traoré, this UNFPA prize, which dedicates the leadership and commitment of their organization to realizing the rights and making choices for all, is the result of a work of youth of West and Central Africa who advocate the #PutYoungPeopleFirst concept that is moving forward to the "Africa we want".
Traoré made a special mention to Mabingué Ngom for his leadership and ongoing support as well as his entire UNFPA WCARO team.
Previously Ngom shared that "our common ambition must be to put young people at the top of our priorities and the demographic dividend is fundamental to achieve this".
He is also a great advocate of the fight against gender-based violence. He believes that actors can do more than say that girls and women are the most vulnerable. To this end, he encourages boys who have shown that they have a vital role to play in changing the lives of girls.
UNFPA Regional Director, East and Southern Africa Julitta Onabanjo sent an exuberant note of congratulations via Twitter: " Viva AfriYAN Viva !!! Congratulations !! An #ICPD25 award so well deserved for a network so dedicated to youth development & #SRHR. You are all such a pride to the ICPD movement&the Africa We Want".
