Hope for Future Generation, a non-government organization with focus on youth development and health, has called on the government and international organisations to invest in digital infrastructure for affordable and reliable Internet connectivity.
Digital infrastructure, the Organisation stated, promoted digital literacy through programmes that equipped youth with the necessary skills to navigate and utilise digital technologies effectively.
This is in a statement from the NGO issued to the Ghana News Agency to mark International Youth Day on August 12.
It is on the theme “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.”
“Supporting youth-led initiatives by providing funding and resources for projects that leverage digital tools to address Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), cultivate leadership, tackle unemployment and critical issues that affect young people is equally important,” it said.
The statement called on all to commit to fostering inclusive policies that bridged the digital divide and protected the rights of young people in the digital space.
By recognising and supporting the contributions of youth in digital transformation, the country could create a more equitable and sustainable future.
That, would help harness the power of digitalisation to accelerate progress towards the SDGs and ensuring that no young person was left behind.
This year’s theme highlights the transformative potential of digitalisation and the critical contributions of youth leadership in addressing global challenges.
It said there had been an immense increase of young people leveraging digital tools for research to deepen their knowledge in leadership.
The statement said webinars, virtual conferences, and collaborative learning enhanced the skills and confidence of the youth, fostering meaningful participation and equipping them for leadership roles.
Digital empowerment, it said, equipped them to actively participate in decision-making processes, driving positive change in their communities and beyond.
Reserach reveals that many young people, particularly in low-resource settings, lack access to the internet, smartphones, and digital literacy.
This digital divide marginalises them, preventing their full participation in the digital economy and hindering their ability to leverage these tools for personal and community development.
Addressing digital exclusion, the statement said it was imperative to ensure that all young people, regardless of their status could contribute to and benefit from the digital transformation.
Hope for Future Generationhas worked in Ghana with over 23 years’ experience in health and socioeconomic development.
The Organisation priorities the youth as significant actors of leveraging digital tools to foster sustainable development.
