KICONCO JACKLINE: Youth Day- What Exactly Are We Celebrating?

What the report says

In a Watchdog Uganda opinion piece, Jackline Kiconco argues that International Youth Day, marked each year on August 12, should prompt more than speeches, hashtags and policy announcements. The article questions whether the occasion is being used to genuinely assess progress for young people or merely to repeat commitments that have not yet produced enough change in everyday life.

Kiconco points to youth unemployment and exclusion as central concerns. Citing figures referenced in the piece, she says millions of young people enter labour markets across Africa each year, while formal jobs remain far fewer, and that many are neither in education nor employment. She also highlights broader global and regional concerns about youth joblessness and the large number of young people outside work, school or training.

The commentary says governments, organisations and youth institutions should shift from celebration to practical action. It calls for stronger implementation of youth policies, more investment in skills and entrepreneurship, greater access to capital and markets, and more meaningful participation of young people in decision-making. The author, who says she works with the Afro-Arab Youth Council, argues that youth should be treated as partners in development rather than only as beneficiaries of programmes.

The broader context is the persistent gap between public praise for young people and the economic and social opportunities available to them. The piece frames Youth Day as a chance to confront that gap and to create conditions in which young people can lead and prosper now, rather than waiting for future promises.