On this International Youth Day, the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) stands with young people across West Africa who are no longer waiting to be asked what they want.
They have already told us.
Across different countries, cultures, languages and lived realities, young people continue to express remarkably similar aspirations: quality education, decent work, good health, peace and security, climate resilience, accountable governance, meaningful participation, and the opportunity to shape the future of their communities.
The Ghana Youth Manifesto is compelling evidence of this shared vision. Through an inclusive, youth-led consultation process, hundreds of young Ghanaians came together to identify their priorities, articulate their challenges, and present a bold vision for a country and a region that work for everyone.
More importantly, the Manifesto proved something that is often underestimated: young people are not only beneficiaries of public policies; they are also capable of shaping it. They can develop policy recommendations, influence political discourse, monitor government commitments, and hold leaders accountable.
For FOSDA, this is not an isolated success story. It reflects more than two decades of investing in youth leadership as a cornerstone of democratic governance. Through our support to the National Network of Youth Groups (NNYOG), the West Africa Youth Alliance (WAYA), and other regional youth networks, as well as programmes such as the Ghana Youth Development Enhancement Programme (GYDEP), the Daakye Youth Leadership Programme, constitutional reform dialogues, and advocacy for sustainable financing of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, we have consistently worked to strengthen young people’s capacity to lead, influence, and transform governance.
These experiences have reinforced one conviction:
Youth leadership is not a development project. It is a governance model.
From local communities in Ghana to regional platforms across West Africa, FOSDA has continued to amplify young people’s voices, translate their aspirations into policy recommendations, and advocate for institutional reforms that create meaningful opportunities for participation.
This vision also informs our regional ambition. Through our advocacy for the establishment of an ECOWAS Youth Parliament, we are championing a future where young West Africans are not merely consulted, but are recognized as permanent partners in regional governance. Meaningful participation is not measured by how often young people are invited into the room. It is measured by how much influence they have over the decisions made inside it.
This year’s theme, “Different Contexts. Common Aspirations.”, reminds us that while young people’s realities may differ, their hopes for dignity, opportunity, justice, and inclusion are remarkably consistent. Our responsibility, therefore, is not simply to celebrate those aspirations, but to build institutions capable of responding to them.
At FOSDA, we remain committed to working with young people, governments, civil society, and regional institutions to ensure that these aspirations are translated into policies, that policies are translated into action, and that action delivers lasting change. This is important for us because we believe youth meaningful participation and inclusion means regional peace, security and stability.
Because different contexts should never determine whose voice matters, every young person deserves the opportunity not only to imagine a better future, but also to help govern it.
Happy International Youth Day 2026