Group advocates increased investment in digital skills education

Founder and Executive Director of a Kwara-based non-profit organisation, Webfala Digital Skills for all Initiative (WDSFAI), Mrs. Nafisat Bakare, has advocated increased investments in digital skills education for African youth.

According to Director of Communications and Strategy for WDSFAI, Hameed Muritala, Mrs. Bakare made the statement when she joined other young change-makers, activists and world leaders at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States, for this year’s UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum.

Bakare, who called for increased investments in youth empowerment and development initiatives for African youth, said that one important way to make young people self-reliant and employable in today’s digital world is to empower them with digital skills, resources and opportunities.

“This is at the core of what we do at Webfala Digital Skills for all Initiative. We believe that acquiring digital skills is a must for every child in this 21st century.

“Governments and leaders in Africa must acknowledge the importance of young people and engage them in decision-making at all levels. Young people must be empowered and supported to reach their full potential. Without doubt, youth have critical roles to play towards the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and building a better future for all.

“It has become imperative for governments at all levels in Africa to invest more in youth empowerment and development initiatives for young people. We must expand access to resources and increase opportunities for African youth that will enable them to create their own future, compete favourably with their counterparts around the world and drive the development of Africa. It is crucial that we work together to ensure that young people in Africa are at the forefront of global efforts to recover from the pandemic and achieve the SDGs before the 2030 deadline,” Bakare said.

The event, which held between April 25 and 27, 2024, themed, “Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”, the Youth Forum was co-organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth.

The 2023 ECOSOC Youth Forum provided a platform for young leaders around the world to engage world leaders, policy makers and other global stakeholders on critical issues relating to youth development and realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“As an organization that is committed to youth development and passionate about empowering young people through digital skills and STEM education, our Executive Director, Mrs. Bakare, participated in the side event on ‘Skills for Inclusive and Decent Work in Africa’s Digital Economy’, where participants discussed barriers, opportunities and best practices to enhance digital skills for youth in Africa.”

The session was organized by The Include Knowledge Platform, the Canada’s International Development Research Center (IDRC), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs, and sponsored by the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands to the United Nations, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations

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