When :
from Friday 22 May, 2020 12:00 to Friday 22 May, 2020 14:00Manager :
Hugue Charnie Ngandeu Ngatta / hc.ngandeu-ngatta@unesco.orgType of event :
Category 7-Seminar and WorkshopContact :
Bin Chen / b.chen@unesco.org ; David Onyango / d.onyango@unesco.orgThe COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a period of uncertainty millions of young people in Africa, disrupting schools and academic calendars, forcing businesses to close and exacerbating job uncertainty and unemployment, with the entertainment and social gatherings having been impacted negatively.
There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a serious challenge to the global economy but it has also presented an opportunity, notably for several young people across the continent to proffer innovative and creative solutions to the numerous needs of their peers and neighborhoods. In several cases, these solutions have helped place their communities ahead of the curve, changing processes and providing lifesaving systems.
From the production of hand sanitizers and protective equipment to the development of reliable data forecasting using social media technologies, the youth are also leading sophisticated inventions as ventilators or sensor-enabled sanitizing equipment, thus demonstrating outstanding skills and innovation to bring solutions in the struggle to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Riding on the momentum built from the first webinar on harnessing the Power of Sport in a time of Crisis: Engaging African Youth in the Fight against COVID-19 and beyond, this webinar is designed to create a platform for experience sharing for youth, by youth and on the youth-led innovative solutions tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. It will offer a safe space for discussions and exchange of ideas and experience on challenges young people face in the innovation path. The Webinar will therefore address young innovators experiences and challenges, enabling environment for their solutions to upscale social impact across the continent, as well as their motivations and resilience capacity. It will also explore the support available across Africa and the pre-conditions to leverage on such opportunities as well as examine the existing solutions and legal frameworks available to protect youth innovation.
Webinar Info
Date, Venue, and Agenda
Time
12:00-14:00, 22 May 2020 (GMT+1)
Venue
Zoom Clouding Meeting with simultaneous interpretation in English and French provided
Click here to register in advance for the webinar.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Provisional Agenda
Openning Session
Yao Ydo, Director, UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for West Africa, Abuja
Dr. David Sengeh, Honorable Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Sierra Leone
Dr. Albino Bol, Honorable Minister of Youth and Sports, Republic of South Sudan
Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO
Session 1: Showcasing Youth-Led Innovation to Fight against COVID-19
Arielle KITIO T., Founder and Director of CAYSTI, Cameroon
Taha Grah, Student of ENISO, SmartGreen, Tunisia
Achaleke Christian Leke, Coordinator, Local Youth Corner, Cameroon
Victory Yinka-Banjo & John Afolayan, Techmergency, Nigeria
Guiako Obin, Executive Director, BABY Lab, Côte d’Ivoire
Session 2: Enabling Environment to Bolster Youth’s Innovation and Creativity
Youth Innovation Protection
by Mr. Oluwatobiloba Moody, Program Officer, World Intellectual Property Organization, Nigeria Office
Youth Innovation: Role of Universities and Innovation Hubs
by Kenyatta University (Kenya)
Funding/Financing for Youth Innovation
by Valerie Dabady, African Development Bank (AFDB)
UN-led Youth innovation: #InnovationChallenge
by Caroline Muhwezi, Programme Specialist, Generation Unlimited, UNICEF
Moderators
Ann Therese Ndong-Jatta, Director, UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Nairobi
Fadwa Gmiden, PAYNCoP
Ekene Johnpaul Ikwelle, PAYNCoP
Gloria Iyaji, UNESCO
Kevin Wilima, UNESCO
Moussa Kondo, Chairperson, African Peer Review Mechanism Youth Network and Director, Accountability Lab