YuWaah
UNICEF is unlocking the potential of India's 350 million young people, with a focus on women and marginalized groups, through YuWaah (Generation Unlimited).
UNICEF is unlocking the potential of India's 350 million young people, with a focus on women and marginalized groups, through YuWaah (Generation Unlimited). By fostering Public-Private-Youth Partnerships, YuWaah is driving innovative solutions that blend physical and digital solutions, creating pathways for learning to earning transition and encouraging active citizenship and youth-led climate action.
UNICEF’s YuWaah is dedicated to building skills and creating socio-economic and change-making opportunities for young people. By equipping them with the tools they need, YuWaah ensures that the youth are not only capable of steering their own futures but also become dynamic agents of change within their communities and across the nation.
Launched in 2019, it has reached over 90 million young people to date – through opportunities for skills development and employment, social innovation and entrepreneurship, career guidance, civic action, volunteering avenues and more.
Through partnerships with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Labour and Employment, among others, YuWaah is addressing the challenges that young people in India face in the areas of learning, skilling, employment, and entrepreneurship.
YuWaah’s Strategic Priorities in India:
- Build pathways for 100 million young people to aspirational economic opportunities
- Facilitate 200 million young people to gain relevant skills aligned with the future of work and lead productive lives
- Partner with 300 million young people as change-makers and create spaces for developing their leadership
The world is changing rapidly and so are the needs and aspirations of India’s youth. Many, including women and those with disabilities, face exclusion from education, training, and employment. YuWaah is challenging such norms by forming partnerships to foster collective action and provide customized opportunities for millions of young people while centering youth co-creation, engagement, and leadership.
- More than 15 million young people have been equipped to embark on aspirational economic pathways by accessing job support and opportunities for work and apprenticeships
- 412,711 young people have been enabled to drive successful enterprises by accessing innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities
- 12 million young people have been empowered to make informed choices and pursue the same by accessing career guidance and mentorship
- 5.5 million young people have been equipped to navigate their personal and professional lives by accessing 21st-century skills
- More than 58 million young people have been empowered to become active changemakers by leading and participating in social impact opportunities
YuWaah is at its core a platform where youth-centric action is co-created, especially facilitated by young Indians from diverse backgrounds who form YuWaah’s Young People’s Action Team (YPAT). They hold a pivotal role in guiding YuWaah’s governance and strategic priorities by actively participating in board meetings, task forces, and working groups.
“As part of the Young People's Action Team, we promoted youth voices and collaborated with various stakeholders in sectors such as education, entrepreneurship, and skilling. We focused on bringing the perspectives of marginalized groups from different parts of the country.
It was a unique learning experience, as it's not every day that young people get a seat at the table, for instance, I was part of UNICEF YuWaah’s Board meetings and had the opportunity to represent young people with other public-private-youth partners. Now, as a social impact consultant, I reflect on my time as a YPAT to make my advocacy work more youth-centric and inclusive.”
Divya Sharma
YuWaah has also launched #ImPactWithYouth, a campaign aimed at promoting youth centrality in both public and private sectors through partnerships between leaders and young individuals. YuWaah also brings together global leaders and young changemakers together for a unique video podcast series to discuss pertinent issues and solidify inter-generational learning that shapes our collective futures.