The Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD) of the African Union, in collaboration with GiZ and i4Policy, is working to enhance youth engagement across the continent through a specialized instance of the Citizen Engagement Platform (CEP). This work will support the AU’s 1 Million Next Level Initiative by empowering youth organizations by providing the tools they need to increase their impact. It will enable them to track their contributions toward the initiative and benefit from resources shared by the WGYD to further equip these youth organizations.
The African Union’s 1 Million Next Level Initiative is an African Union (AU) initiative that aims to empower youth across Africa through opportunities in education, employment, entrepreneurship, and engagement. It builds on earlier efforts to scale impact and positions young people as key drivers of change in achieving Agenda 2063.
i4Policy will collaborate closely with WGYD to enhance and manage the platform, transforming it into a vibrant space where the more than 1,500 registered youth organizations previously registered can showcase their initiatives, collaborate across borders, and align their efforts with key continental objectives like Agenda 2063.
This initiative took shape during the Citizen Engagement and Capacity Strengthening Program, a workshop hosted by WGYD and GIZ from May 14th to 16th, 2025, in Nairobi. The three-day gathering brought together over 50 youth leaders and changemakers from across Africa. The event focused on building critical skills and exploring how the CEP can become a powerful tool for youth to engage meaningfully with the AU and shape the future of the continent.
Event highlights:
