This week’s Monitor is a special edition on COVID-19 and the youth, and emphasises the necessity for all responders to heed the UN’s call of ‘Building Back Better’. It features an article by Graeme Simpson – lead author of The Missing Peace: Independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security – and Ali Altiok. Among other things, they reflect on the generational and gendered manifestations of the measures adopted by governments, and societal responses, to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kobla Asamani shares perspectives and reflections from the more than 50 Inter-Generational Dialogues (IGDs) that ACCORD has held across the globe. Through these IGDs, young people have had an opportunity to make a case for their inclusion in key decision-making processes that impact on their lives, and have been able to express their views – including that unless urgent action is taken, the youth are likely to suffer severe and lasting impacts from the pandemic.
The importance of gathering and sustaining trust between public institutions and citizens – especially the youth – during this global pandemic features in an article by Dr Rhuks Ako. Lastly, Sibu Nkosi calls for the need to build partnerships on the basis of the various positive efforts, innovations and resilience shown by youth-led and youth-focused organisations in contributing to efforts towards responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
