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#YouthDay

Digital Education Paves A Sustainable Future For Youth

 In today’s digital age, young people lead the movement to shape the path to sustainable progress. The blog’s topic explores the crucial link between digitalisation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), showcasing how young minds use technology to develop sustainable solutions. It focuses on the importance of digital education, the pursuit of gender equality, and the promotion of inclusive growth.

Image credit: Young WILPF
  • 4 min
Pauline Masylgeline Mbong
5 August 2024

The Value of Youth Digital Empowerment

Digital empowerment goes beyond learning to use technology; it equips young people with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a transforming digital world. From free or low-cost courses to easy education access, young people are all concerned regardless of their geographical location or economic situation. This democratisation of education reduces disparities and ensures that the most vulnerable, especially women and girls, are the leading force in their communities.

During the wide-scale recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and its drastic health measures, followed by the initiation of remote education, the exploding data revealed a changing picture of education.

One inspiring example is connecting women and girls around the world, and supporting their participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). These initiatives encourage women and girls to contribute their perspectives and strengthen the frameworks around gender and technology. By leveraging their education in technology, we can foster inclusivity and drive positive change.

Emerging technologies are allies in the movement for promoting gender equality. In Guatemala, Romania, and the Arab States, the voices of youth matter to achieve significant actions toward the future, heightening the Global Digital Impact.

Digital Activism for Change: The Young WILPF Network

On the path of peace and gender-responsive policies, the Young WILPF Network has understood the crucial impact embedded in innovative technologies. Composed of passionate individuals under 35, from various countries, the group is dedicated to driving WILPF’s efforts in addressing the root causes of violence.

Their approach highlights collective minds for sustainable progress, committed to countering the boundaries and cultural barriers. One of their activism’s focus pivots around amplifying voices and driving change for underserved communities with inclusivity, transparency, and full access to information and communication.

WILPF sponsors numerous initiatives of the Young WILPF Network based on disseminating educational information on human rights, gender equality, and social inclusion. One of the significant steps the Young WILPF Network takes is the Youth Corner, where like-minded people can share their creative projects, organise campaigns, raise awareness of social causes or vital needs.

Information technologies like social media empower youth-led activism. For instance, in building a social movement to support the Syrian women’s resilience or demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. These efforts aim to condemn the precipice of a humanitarian catastrophe and rally millions of individuals and organisations to pressure governments and institutions, pushing for political and legislative changes. 

This interest in raising awareness about social and political issues by sharing information and personal stories on online platforms grants young people the skills to strengthen their digital abilities. Implementing campaigns through online participation influences event organisation for peace rallies and facilitates real-time information sharing during conflicts to coordinate humanitarian efforts. They have visibility and safe spaces for dialogue and mediation, promoting peaceful solutions, attracting international attention, and increasing a louder resonance for change.

Young WILPF’s force demonstrates that young people are active creators and innovators, contributing by writing about climate realities, facilitating adaptation processes, and developing early warning systems with innovative projects. As 71 percent of the world’s youth (aged between 15 and 24 years) compared with 57 percent of the other age groups, they are the most prevalent in social activism with the best practices to organise protests, rallies, and other forms of on-the-ground activism around issues like social justice, climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, and more. 

To summarise, digital empowerment has a key role in achieving the SDGs. We must provide the resources and tools young people need to be at the forefront of creating sustainable solutions for global challenges. By harnessing their authenticity and creativity, we can expect innovative dynamics and fresh perspectives for a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world, where every click leads to progress.

Take action: Join the Young WILPF Network

Are you ready to make a step toward Peace and Justice? Join the Young WILPF Network to connect, organise, and advance the goals of WILPF with like-minded individuals. Whether you’re already a WILPF member or interested in joining, be part of this global movement for change. Establish your national Young WILPF Network if WILPF has a Section or Group in your country. Learn more on our Young WILPF Network page.

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Pauline Masylgeline Mbong

Pauline Masylgeline Mbong is a digital activist, a member of WILPF Cameroon and the Young WILPF Network. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Bilingual Letters from the University of Douala, as well as a certification in Administrative Management.

Matt Mahmoudi

Matt Mahmoudi (he/him) is a lecturer, researcher, and organizer. He’s been leading the “Ban the Scan” campaign, Amnesty International’s research and advocacy efforts on banning facial recognition technologies and exposing their uses against racialized communities, from New York City to the occupied Palestinian territories.

Berit Aasen

Europe Alternate Regional Representative

Berit Aasen is a sociologist by training and has worked at the OsloMet Metropolitan University on Oslo. She has 40 years of experience in research and consultancy in development studies, including women, peace, and security, and in later years in asylum and refugee studies. Berit Aasen joined WILPF Norway five years ago. She is an alternate member of the National Board of WILPF Norway, and representing WILPF Norway in the UN Association of Norway, the Norwegian 1325 network and the Norwegian Women’s Lobby. Berit Aasen has been active in the WILPF European Liaison group and is committed to strengthening WILPF sections and membership both in Europe and relations across continents.

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Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

A woman in a blue, black, and white dress smiles radiantly in front of a leafy green background.

Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region. 

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace​

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.