Joint Government of Liberia and United Nations Statement on International Youth Day

The Government of Liberia and the United Nations Country Team in Liberia (UNCT) join the rest of the world to commemorate International Youth Day 2024.  In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly declared August 12 every year as International Youth Day (IYD) to recognize and promote the active participation of young people in all aspects of society. This year’s theme, "From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development," aligns perfectly with Liberia’s commitment to harnessing the power of digital technology to drive sustainable development and create opportunities for youth. 

The Government of Liberia and the United Nations Country Team acknowledge the transformational role of digital technology in empowering young people to drive economic growth and social progress and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Liberia. In an era where technology is rapidly evolving, it is necessary to equip young people with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate and leverage digital platforms safely and effectively. The theme for this year’s commemoration encourages us to support young people to transition their digital engagements ("clicks") to tangible outcomes ("progress") that contribute to national development. 

As the UN Secretary-General emphasized in his 2024 IYD statement, “Young people are the architects of our future. They are the ones who will shape the world we live in. Investing in their digital skills and access is investing in our collective future.”

Despite the growth in internet penetration in Liberia and the availability of digital tools such as computers and smartphones, a wide gap exists between urban and rural populations. The                2022 Liberia Population and Housing Census indicates that only 16 percent of adolescents and youth in the country have access to computers. To this end, the Government of Liberia is dedicated to raising digital awareness among the youth, recognizing that access to and use of digital technologies are vital for empowering young people to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s socio-economic development. 

Therefore, this year’s celebration focuses on showcasing the positive impact of digital technology on education, employment, and entrepreneurship. 

By highlighting youth-led and youth-focused institutions excelling in digital innovation, we inspire a generation of digital-savvy leaders who can drive progress in various sectors.

The Government of Liberia and the United Nations are joint partners fully committed to fostering an environment where young people can actively and safely participate in the digital economy through programmes and policies supporting digital literacy, technology access, and innovation. Our collaboration aims to ensure that no young person is left behind in this digital revolution. We are particularly focused on bridging the digital divide, ensuring that all youth, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to thrive in a digital world.

In many ways, we are taking important steps to achieve this goal. For instance, under the framework of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) supported “Accelerating Digital Opportunities for Youth Civic Participation as a lever for Building and Sustaining Peace in Liberia” project, the UN is supporting the Government to empower youth-led, young women-led, and youth with disability with digital tools and training to accelerate digital literary, inclusion and livelihoods. As part of the 2022 Liberia Population and Housing Census, the government made significant use of new technologies and innovative solutions, including digital mapping, Computer Assisted Personal Interviews, Geographic Information Systems for georeferenced data collection, online recruitment of data collectors, and the use of cloud solutions for data storage. Such interventions are needed to unlock the potential of Liberian youth to leapfrog into the global digital space and contribute to the economic transformation and sustainable development agenda of Liberia.

Further, we will prioritize actions to expand digital access and literacy. These include investing in robust infrastructure, affordable internet connectivity, and digital skills training; creating digital opportunities through support to youth-led digital initiatives, entrepreneurship, and innovation to drive economic growth and job creation; promoting digital safety and ethics by ensuring a safe and inclusive digital environment and regulatory framework to protect young people from online harm and all forms of exploitation and abuse and; strengthening youth participation in decision-making processes related to digital policy and development.

The Government of Liberia and the UN call on all stakeholders—youth organizations, educational institutions, the private sector, civil society, and development partners—to join these efforts to promote and strengthen digital pathways for sustainable development for and with the youth. Together, we can ensure that the digital transformation benefits all young people, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to achieving the SDGs and the overall development of Liberia.

                                                                                                                                                                                             ---End---

  Jointly issued by:

Hon. Jeror Cole Bangalu 

 Minister of Youth and Sports  

Republic of Liberia                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 Dr. Peter Clement 

 UN Resident Coordinator a.i               

  United Nations – Liberia