Latest content: Youth

Good mental health is a symptom of thriving and resilient communities and an enabler of development. Yet, across the world, a silent crisis is growing, and it particularly affects our young people.

As part of activities to commemorate International Youth Day, over 120 young artists, performers, community activists, social workers, and visionaries gathered for the Young Leaders for Arts and Health Summit at the Commonwealth Secretariat’s headquarters in London.

By Kunle Adewale, Founder of Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship, Ayesha Ali, Coordinator, Commonwealth Youth Health Network, Emily Gilmour, Health Officer and Karina Gosalia, Health Research Officer at the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Health Section

By Cynthia Nyongesa, Assistant Research Officer at the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Rule of Law Section

On International Youth Day, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon Shirley Botchwey, began her workday by hosting an intimate breakfast with a cross-section of young people working at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

For over 50 years, the Commonwealth Secretariat has been instrumental in empowering young people across its 56 member countries to lead and drive progress on development goals.

To highlight young people making a positive difference in their communities, the Commonwealth Secretariat recently opened nominations for the 2026 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work.

Pakistan’s gaming and app development ecosystem has been growing rapidly, with locally-produced apps recording a compound annual growth rate of 32% in global downloads between 2018 and 2023.

Over 200 youth leaders from across the Commonwealth joined the Commonwealth Youth Council for the inaugural Youth Leadership Consultative Dialogue in Windhoek, Namibia. The event was led by Namibia’s Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, the Hon Sanet Steenkamp, and included other senior government officials  and representatives from the Commonwealth Secretariat

By Akil Crichlow, Events Officer, International Water Resources Association; Elyse Blondell, Living Lands Charter Intern; and Mxolisi Sibanda, Climate Change Adviser, Commonwealth Secretariat

Blog by Munim Mubashshir, Member (Student Representative), Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission, Bangladesh

When Stanley Anigbogu heard his name announced as the 2025 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year in London earlier in March, he could hardly believe it. He had not expected to win, especially among a pool of brilliant nominees from across the globe.

"Breaking the cycle of violence is a necessity. Otherwise, there will be no society left to be governed." This was a stark warning from Rev Dr James Movel Wuye, one of the joint winners of the inaugural Commonwealth Peace Prize.

The Commonwealth Students Association (CSA) is now accepting nominations for executive roles for the upcoming 2025-2028 term. The CSA helps to promote educational opportunities for students from Commonwealth countries and advocates for their rights and welfare.

Around 100 young leaders from across Bangladesh have pledged to champion the values of the Commonwealth Charter, following a two-day workshop in Dhaka from 23 to 24 June 2025.

Over 90 young professionals, including delegates from Canada, India, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, Uganda and the United Kingdom, joined Ministers of Health and heads of international development agencies to address challenges in the health sector.

In March, the Commonwealth Youth Programme celebrated the achievements of young people while building their capacity to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of society.

Stanley Chidubem Anigbogu from Nigeria has clinched the overall title of 2025 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year at the annual Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work, held in London on Wednesday, 12 March 2025.