The Lesotho Youth Power Hub (YPH) is an innovative youth incubation program that aims to increase the participation and influence of young people in the local development process and policy advocacy
What is the Youth Power Hub?
The Lesotho Youth Power Hub, a joint initiative of the European Union, UNICEF, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is designed to foster an inclusive, participatory, and accountable environment that empowers young people in Lesotho to actively participate in decision-making processes, ensuring their voices are heard and their engagement is sustained over time. Running from 2024 to 2029, the Youth Power Hub targets young people aged between 10 to 25, with a special focus on adolescent girls and young women, youth living with disabilities, those living in rural areas, migrants, and youth in the diaspora. By actively involving these groups in decision-making processes, the initiative aims to broaden citizen engagement, ultimately fostering stronger and more inclusive communities across Lesotho.
The overall goal of the initiative is to enhance the voice and agency of young people as critical actors in governance and development at the local and national levels. To achieve this goal, the Youth Power Hub will focus on:
- Strengthen the organizational and programming capacities of 27 grassroots youth-focused civil society organizations (CSOs) for them to influence change and speak out on issues of interest to them.
- Contribute to the expansion of opportunities for networking and collaboration among young people, and to collectively advocate for issues of common interest.
- Creation of an online platform for young people to connect digitally, share resources, and learn from each other.
- Empowerment of youth-focused CSOs for robust and dynamic engagement in policy and budget processes, sustained voicing of their views on development issues, and promotion of transparency and accountability.
The EU contribution is EUR 2,457,000 (LSL 45,083,000.49) open to additional contributions from other partners. The action is co-funded by UNICEF to the tune of USD 129,315.94 (LSL 2,372,818.18).
Apply here: https://bit.ly/3XQGDMZ
Deadline: 31st October 2024