The youth of Africa are positioned to seize opportunities and champion the intelligent innovation of technology policies and solutions that enhance access to digital resources on the continent. “Generation Link: Youth-Led Strategies for Digital Inclusion and Policy” will accept proposals from young leaders and policy specialists along with other stakeholders on how they intend to position youth for active participation in digital inclusion advocacy and policy formulation across Africa.

The gap between people who have access to modern information technology and those who do not is so pronounced that it needs urgent action. This session will attempt to outline the aspects of youth inclusivity that could add to the empowerment of sustainable policies and governance in the Africa region policies as it pertains to the digital economy. Addressing the complex nature of achieving digital inclusion, the session will address local content development, digital literacy, policy formulation, entrepreneurship with a strong focus on youth engagement as essential building blocks.

Under the auspices of PAYAIG, this session will tap into the perspectives of initiatives spearheaded by youth aimed at closing the digital divide through innovative digital advocacy, e-learning, civic engagement as well as technology-enabled community empowerment.

Some Of The Specific Focus Areas Are As Follows:

The Role of Youth in Internet Governance Policy Formation: Facilitating the opportunities for youth to actively participate in the formulation of internet governance policies at national and regional levels.

Engagement in E-Learning Activities: Participating and interacting with learning content using various technologies.

Active Participation in Cultural Representation and Creation of Local Content: Promoting the positive online interactions of users with African cultures and languages.

Addressing the Perspectives of Disadvantaged Groups of Youth: Promoting young women, rural youth, and other marginalized groups as active participants and beneficiaries of the digital world.

Creating Opportunities for Young People Initiating New Projects: Supporting emerging social and digital entrepreneurs for their new businesses that advance innovations in their respective regions.

This session will also take a look at how the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy, Agenda 2063, and the Global Digital Compact can align with youth-focused initiatives. Participants will collaborate on developing actionable solutions for scaling successful youth-led digital initiatives, cross-border cooperation, and inclusive public-private partnerships - and by the end of the session, participants will have co-created strategies for advancing youth-led digital inclusion, ensuring young people are empowered to be active participants in Africa’s digital policy and transformation agenda.