Content Topic
Youth engagement
More resources
Blog post
Power to the people!
The Kigali youth statement was co-created by young people in the global non-communicable diseases (NCD) community and highlights the urgency of addressing youth concerns and taking action against NCDs, including mental health. It was an important outcome from the 650 delegates gathered at this global event to sh...
Blog post
“I was bullied because of a flawed food system”
This is the third in a series of blog posts representing the voices of several UNICEF South Africa Youth Advocates Fix My Food youth advocates . Fix My Food Fix My Food South Africa is a coalition of young people advocating for a fairer food system where healthy food is available, accessible, and affordable for e...
Blog post
“A health scare showed me the truth of food labeling!”
This is the second in a series of blog posts representing the voices of several UNICEF South Africa Youth Advocates Fix My Food youth advocates . Fix My Food Fix My Food South Africa is a coalition of young people advocating for a fairer food system where healthy food is available, accessible, and affordable fo...
Blog post
"The sugar always punished us for its sweetness"
Fix My Food Fix My Food South Africa is a coalition of young people advocating for a fairer food system where healthy food is available, accessible, and affordable for every child and youth. This responds to global trends that increasingly seek to transform the food environment. Under the Fix My Food banner, yout...
Blog post
Sparking change through Fix My Food
As a student at the University of Johannesburg, I spend most of my time on campus. The food environment is mostly filled with fast food, and sugary / caffeine drinks. When I enter the student centre (food court), I feel particularly targeted by the marketing of energy drinks, as if they are preying on my fatigue. ...
Blog post
Youth in action: My journey as a conservation champion
My journey toward advocating for a sustainable planet began in primary school when I attended workshops facilitated by the Beyond Expectations Environmental Project. Those early experiences ignited my passion for the environment as I learned about the importance of saving water and addressing pollution. Participating in hikes and camps deepened my…, Join the Movement, Inspired to take action? Learn more about the YERA programme and how you can be...
Page
UNICEF South Africa Youth Advocates
UNICEF South Africa’s Youth Advocates come from every corner of the country, united in their pursuit of universal goals. From creating a more climate-resilient planet to fighting against gender-based violence to championing the rights of children to have access to healthy food, these young people are speaking out ...
Press release
“Eat right for a better life!”
Cape Town, 10 October 2024: Adopting healthy food practices at an early age can pave the way for our present and future health. However, the current food environment in South Africa is flooded with ultra-processed foods and this makes healthy options difficult to access. Indeed, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) i...
Blog post
Healing and self-development in the face of depression
We know unemployment and poverty are high in South Africa. Crime, corruption, and violence headline our newspapers on a daily basis. We are facing a climate crisis likely to exacerbate ill health and poverty on a global scale. Where is there room to address mental health in a world so crowded with social and envir...
Campaign
Fix My Food
Right now, the health of more than 1 in 5 children in South Africa is at risk of a future impacted by food-related illnesses. The food industry floods our world with unhealthy foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat. Such processed products have been linked to non-communicable diseases, which include heart dis...
Blog post
Compassion, kindness, and community on Mandela Day
For 67 minutes of Mandela Day, we as the UNICEF North West University Vaal Campus Club had the opportunity to visit the Kotulong Community Centre in Meyerton, south of Johannesburg. Upon arrival, we were greeted with warm smiles and open arms as the staff took us on a tour around the centre. The children were eage...
Press release
Youth produced photo book and exhibit documents climate and environmental impact on young lives
JOHANNESBURG, 05 June 2024 – ‘The Green Rising: Through a Fresh Lens’ photo book and exhibit launched today at FotoZA gallery in Johannesburg to mark World Environment Day, with the young storytellers calling for urgent action to help tackle climate and environmental impacts on the rights and wellbeing of childre...