For over 30 years, I have traveled extensively across the diverse landscapes of East and Southern Africa, the region closest to my heart, and experiencing the stunning cultures, varied economies, and breathtaking geography of the region, and meeting our young people brimming with potential.
With almost half the population under 18, a significant youth demographic is emerging, the largest in the region's history. These young people are not just the future but also the driving force behind potential new eras of development that are inclusive and sustainable.
In every part of these countries, from busy city markets to quiet village paths, it's the youth who stand out with their bright smiles and endless energy. They represent hope and readiness, poised to lead, innovate, and shape the future of Africa and the world. This is not just the next chapter in their story; it's an entirely new narrative.
Celebrating Progress, Confronting Challenges
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, highlighting a growing commitment to human-centered sustainable development as we prepare for the post-2030 agenda. As we zero in on the essential elements that will empower the African continent to secure gains for its future beyond 2030, we must also confront a harsh truth: significant disparities continue to sideline many individuals throughout their lives.
Recently, I had the opportunity to interact with adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 in Toamasina on the east coast of Madagascar. As we discussed how they would imagine their lives five years from now, in 2030, they all expressed positive expectations of a bright future characterized by fulfilled potentials.
I keenly listened as they shared their aspirations, with a key question echoing in my mind, "How are we ensuring young people, especially girls and young women, especially those in the farthest and remotest places, that their rights and needs and the Promise of Cairo are not forgotten?
In east and southern Africa, adolescent girls continue to profile among the region's critical development challenges. 1 in 3 girls become brides by the age of 18; while 1 in 10 girls become mothers while practically children themselves, with 94 births per 1,000 girls, which is twice the global average of 44 births per 1,000 girls.
Igniting the Potential of Adolescent Girls in Pursuit of the Africa We Want
Within the context of the ICPD30, the month of May presents significant opportunities to further reach young people left furthest behind, as we marked the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula on 5 May; and the International Day of the Midwife on 23 May.
The expansion of access to midwives and healthcare professionals, as well as the increased availability of emergency health services to prevent and repair obstetric fistula signify tangible progress in addressing long-standing health challenges faced by young women and adolescent girls, including in humanitarian situations.
When adolescent girls' health and rights are secured, including through age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health information and services, it not only unlocks their potential, but also ignites a ripple effect of progress at the macro level. When girls are able to delay childbearing and marriage, they are more likely to complete their education, fuelling a cycle of empowerment that transcends generations
As I listened to the valuable aspirations and ideas of the young people I met in Toamasina, they all fell into three categories, pointing to how well we are able to build:
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An environment in which adolescent girls and boys have no limits to their aspirations for quality education and hope for the future.
An expansive space where realizing young peoples' potential are at the core of health, and in particular girls' access to sexual and reproductive health information and services throughout their life, to ensure they are not exposed to unintended pregnancies, child marriage, and STIs including HIV.
A world where girls and boys are treated with equal measure, and protected to ensure future access to decent employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
As stakeholders, it will take concerted and community-wide efforts to create necessary conditions to fulfill the Promise of Cairo, even as we race towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
