Botswana commemorates International Youth Day
Lesego Chombo | Tuesday August 19, 2025 08:54
The 2025 International Youth Day is commemorated under the theme: “Local Youth Actions for the Sustainable Development Goals and Beyond”. This year’s theme aligns with the upcoming 30th Anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth, which is a guiding Framework for recognising Youth as key actors in sustainable development and participatory governance.
The theme resonates well with the Government’s efforts to accord young people the space to meaningfully engage with Policy Makers, Youth Leaders, Development Actors, and Community Champions on critical matters that concern their role in the development process. The theme further challenges us to recognise and elevate the transformative role that the Youth of Botswana play. It is imperative that we all acknowledge, nourish, and allow the Youth to unleash their potential as they are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but the critical change-makers of today.
According to the United Nations, half of the people on our planet are 30 years or younger and are expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030. By 2050, the people who are under 25 years old today will comprise more than 90% of the prime-age workforce. The United Nations also indicated that Surveys show that 67% of people believe in a better future, with 15 to 17-year-olds being the most optimistic about this. It is these positive attributes of Youth that we should build upon.
In Botswana, according to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, the Youth population (15 – 35 years) stands at 34.9% which is 49.2% males and 50.8% females. The population of Persons With Disability stands at 4.5%. It is important to note that over 60% of Botswana’s residents are under the age of 35 years, with approximately 42% of the population being under 25 years, and 18.7% falling within the 15 to 24 age range.
Considering the Youth population, it is paramount that we recognise how they can be a positive force to drive sustainable development, especially when provided with the appropriate knowledge and opportunities. On this premise, the Government of Botswana acknowledges that young people are not waiting to be invited to the table, but are a key development partner in the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Youth should therefore be guaranteed the space to build their own platforms in clean energy, digital skills training, agri-tech, and sexual health education. It is important to appreciate and acknowledge that when the Youth are rightly empowered, communities flourish and economies thrive.
As the theme of International Youth Day, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, calls on us, we need to make a deliberate effort to support the unique role of the Youth in translating global ambitions into community-driven realities, that is, aligning SDGs with community needs and maintaining consistency with national and international commitments. It is time to start engaging Young people as critical and strategic partners, as they bring creativity, insight, and deep community ties that contribute to bridging the gap between Policy and practice. The engagement of Youth is, as such, not a luxury but a necessity that we cannot afford to ignore.
The Youth are closer to their communities, hence uniquely positioned to create inclusive policy environments, influence resource allocation, and establish mechanisms for broader Youth participation in local planning and decision-making. It is important to note that by integrating Youth priorities into local strategies and fostering partnerships and collaboration with Youth organisations, we can transform their ideas into impactful and long-lasting solutions. Let me, on this note, challenge all of us to provide spaces for innovation, mentorship, and civic engagement of our Youth, for by so doing, we will be nurturing future community leaders and change makers.
Let me in my conclusion, urge all of us to be fully aware that as the world embarks on the final stretch toward 2030, we should, as a people, aim for real investments in inclusive strategies, policies, and programmes that leverage local Youth actions for sustainable development.
I therefore call upon all Government Entities, Civil Society, The Private Sector, International Agencies and Development Partners to move from tokenism to tangible support and from listening to implementing Youth-led solutions.
Lastly, let me assure the public that as we review the National Youth Policy of Botswana, we will include the necessary platforms that will enable the Youth to fully unleash their potential as they actively participate in the development process.
*Lesego Chombo is Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs
I thank you!