What role can the youth play in the context of migration and development? What impact can youth activism potentially have in this area? Six dynamic youth activists share their thoughts in the latest video produced by the Rabat Process, filmed on the sidelines of the Thematic Meeting on Migration, Youth and Development, held on 19-20 October 2023 in The Hague, co-chaired by the Netherlands and Nigeria.
Having a seat at the table
For the first time in the history of the Rabat Process, youth activists had a seat at the table at a thematic meeting and the opportunity to have their voices heard directly by policymakers representing Rabat Process countries and organisations. The six youth representatives interviewed for this video are actively engaged in civil society, advocating for increased youth inclusion in decision-making processes related to migration and development.
Interviewees:
- Blessing Abeng, Brand and Communications Director
- Lukmon Akintola, Program Lead for Climate Mobility, Global Center for Climate Mobility
- Alicja Lelwic-Ojeda, Co-director, Migration, Youth and Children Platform (MYCP)
- Ibrahim Sallet Mahamat, Member of the Global Refugee Youth Network (GRYN)
- Ajala Oluwafunmilayo, Youth Advisory Committee Member
- Elana Wong, Policy Officer, Civil Society Action Committee (ICMC), former MCYP Co-director
What comes to mind when you think about youth and migration?
Inclusion – integration – agency – participation – engagement – strength – these are the keywords that immediately come to mind for the activists featured in the video. “If you are going to make decisions for the largest population of the world, you need to include them in that conversation”, stated Blessing Abeng. Youth activists, both in the video and at the meeting, advocated for the recognition of young people’s potential and the positive contributions they can make in the political arena. “Youth are important partners, we are not adversaries, we are here to actually advance migration and development”, said Lukmon Akintola. This and other messages addressed to policymakers were shared in the video. The urgency of this perspective is expressed by Ajala Oluwafunmilayo’s statement in the video: “There is a word that was said: Youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, they are also the leaders of today.”
