MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER
The United Nations Population Fund has dedicated its fight to harnessing the demographic dividend to improve the socio-economic conditions of youth, in order to achieve the expected emergence in the development agendas drawn up for the horizon. 2030 of the United Nations and 2063 of the African Union. There are 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24, representing the largest youth population in the world. They represent almost a quarter of the world’s population and 90% of them live in developing countries. The power of 1.8 billion people cannot be ignored and their commitment or lack thereof will determine whether the SDGs are achieved. Moreover, Africa has the youngest population in the world and “ten of the youngest countries in the world” are on the African continent. According to the Report on the situation of young people in the Francophone area of 2016, the demographic and statistical observatory of the Francophone area and International Organization of La Francophonie gives the following proportions of the representation of young people in Central Africa: Cameroon, 61.4% , Central African Republic53.3%, Chad 24.3%; Gabon 90.3%; Congo 90.4%; DRC 77.9%; Equatorial Guinea 44.6% and Sao Tome and Principe 44.6%.
Policies need a facelift and it is important to find a balance between experience and needs, energy and innovative strength of youth.
The Water and Climate Network of Central African Organizations (RECOJAC) calls on young people from the Central African region to unite, to engage even more as agents of change in the framework of development processes.