Latest content: Youth

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Over the past two decades, Ghana has improved its social, economic and political structures and reduced inequalities across its population. Nevertheless, a variety of socioeconomic issues still have a particular impact on the youth demographic, including underemployment, a lack of access to quality education, poverty, crime, migration and low civic participation. As the majority of Ghana’s population is under the age of 25, improvements for this demographic have the potential to facilitate a more sustainable and resilient society long-term.
Read publication - Overview of Youth Development in Ghana
As part of a series of virtual events to celebrate International Women’s Day and Commonwealth Day last week, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, was joined in conversation by Kate Gilmore, Fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy of Harvard University.
Read news - In Conversation: Secretary-General Patricia Scotland QC and Kate Gilmore share their journeys as women leaders
Five young people have been named regional winners for the Commonwealth Youth Awards for their exceptional work on promoting clean energy, good health, food security and quality education. The awards recognise the contributions of young people whose projects are transforming lives in their communities and helping achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Read news - Young leaders from Bangladesh, Grenada, Samoa, Sierra Leone and UK win 2021 Commonwealth Youth Awards
Event
The winners of the annual Commonwealth Youth Awards will be announced on 10 March. The ceremony will take place during Commonwealth Week and will be held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Twenty finalists from 18 countries are up for five regional awards. Of the five regional winners, one outstanding young person will become the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2021.
To mark Human Rights Day, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland writes about the need for legislation and policies to ensure that wherever possible girls remain in school. Girls generally experience more barriers to education than their male counterparts, and this has been exacerbated yet further by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read news - Opinion: Commonwealth Secretary-General says Covid-19 threatens girls’ access to education