The Urban Youth Unit at NIUA and YuWaah - UNICEF have come into a partnership to solidify their commitment to empowering young people for urban governance. The Statement of Intent was exchanged between Lovlesh Sharma, Head, Urban Youth Unit and Abhishek Gupta, COO, YuWaah at the National Youth Day celebrations hosted by NIUA.

Over the next three years, the organizations will co-create and implement scalable youth-driven solutions to address the challenges faced by cities. The primary focus of this partnership is enhancing youth leadership, participation and action research towards strengthening civic behaviours and urban governance.

The collaboration aims to ensure youth-centric development by utilizing interactive and gamified civic leadership modules. The goal is to enhance civic awareness and social responsibility of the youth and equipping them with 21st-century skills and progressive ideas. This will enable them to actively participate in co-creating innovative solutions for urban governance through engagement in innovation challenges. Additionally, UNICEF’s U-Report chatbot will be used to capture real time data and insights from young people on ‘cities for youth’ to support NIUA’s action research outcomes on youth participation and to further co-create innovative solutions that address the unique needs of young people in India.

 “The connection between the youth, cities, and NIUA holds immense significance in shaping the urban landscapes of our future. With YuWaah - UNICEF collaboration, we aim to harness the potential of our youth, empowering them to actively contribute to the development of cities that reflect their dreams and aspirations", said Dr. Debolina Kundu, Director, NIUA.

“Through this partnership with Urban Youth Unit at NIUA, we are embarking on a journey to enhance youth leadership, participation, and action research, focusing on strengthening civic behavior and urban governance. Together we strive to inspire a new generation of young leaders in India who are deeply connected to their communities, ensuring a brighter and more empowered future for all”, said Abhishek Gupta, COO, YuWaah – UNICEF.

The ‘My Dream City’ publication was also launched which is the outcome of a competition organized by NIUA, aimed at capturing the visionary thoughts of the young people. The competition focused on four key themes: Safe Neighbourhoods, Walkable and Cyclable Cities, My Connect to the River and Waterbodies, and Smart Wellness Societies. Participants were encouraged to share their entries, each offering a unique perspective on these themes. The resulting collection forms a mosaic of ideas reflecting the dreams and aspirations of the youth for a vibrant and livable city.

 

RKJ/M

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