National Projects Coordinator for the International Labor Organization (ILO), Gideon Mankralo has called on policymakers to ensure young people play an active role in creating and implementing solutions to address global challenges.
Speaking at the 2025 Youthworkers Roundtable Discussion organized by Youth Arise Organization (YAO), Mr. Mankralo emphasized that youth participation should go beyond token representation at decision-making tables.
He stated that interventions designed without the input of young people often fail to reflect their realities and aspirations.
“The solutions that we need to prefer must be solutions that are co-created with young people. The young people must not just be at the table in this discussion, but must play a critical role in taking those decisions and see through the implementation,” he stressed, urging full youth involvement throughout the policy process.
Highlighting Africa’s demographic advantage, Mr. Mankralo noted that more than 60 percent of the continent’s population is between 15 and 24 years old. According to him, this statistic makes it imperative for governments, development partners, and organizations to include young voices in policy design and resource allocation.
“Where the power is centralized, there must be young people present—not just as observers but as important contributors to the discussion and implementation of solutions,” he said.
Mr. Mankralo warned that excluding young people from decision-making processes could undermine efforts to tackle critical challenges such as unemployment, health crises, and climate change. He argued that meaningful youth engagement fosters innovation, accountability, and effective outcomes.
“When we co-create solutions together, we build ownership and ensure these interventions work on the ground,” he said.
He concluded by urging stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric and take practical steps to integrate youth perspectives into governance and development planning.
“Young people are not the leaders of tomorrow—they are leaders of today. We must give them the space to contribute and implement solutions that shape Africa’s future,” he added.
Watch the 2025 Youth Workers Roundtable here
Written by Samuel Nii Adjetey
