Young people take centre stage at International Youth Day celebrations in Pemba
A highlight of the event came when President Chapo visited the UNICEF stand.
International Youth Day celebrations in Pemba this year coincided with Mozambique’s 9th National Youth Conference, led by President Daniel Chapo and bringing together around 1,000 young people from across the country to discuss their role in national development.
UNICEF participated in the National Youth Fair, with a strong focus on MAZA, UNICEF Mozambique’s youth platform, and the broader Learning to Earning agenda. MAZA connects adolescents and young people to learning, skills development, participation and pathways towards economic opportunities.
A highlight of the event came when President Chapo visited the UNICEF stand. Members of the Pemba Adolescent and Youth Participation Platform presented MAZA directly to the President, explaining how the platform can help young people access information, develop skills and connect with opportunities.
The moment reflected UNICEF’s approach to placing young people at the centre of solutions that affect their lives, enabling them not only to participate, but also to engage directly with decision-makers and help shape initiatives designed for their generation.
MAZA was also featured during the high-level panel, “From learning to economic empowerment: inclusive digital transformation and skills development for adolescents and young people.” The discussion explored how digital platforms can expand access to learning, skills and opportunities for young people, including those living in northern Cabo Delgado.
The event further highlighted growing alignment between UNICEF’s youth engagement work and the Government’s youth agenda. The launch of the Government’s Youth Portal offers an important opportunity to connect MAZA with a wider national ecosystem linking young people to internships, employment, entrepreneurship, financing and other opportunities.
Through its partnership with the Government of Mozambique and young people themselves, UNICEF aims to make the pathway from learning to earning easier to navigate, helping adolescents and young people across Mozambique build the skills, connections and opportunities they need to shape their own futures.
