International Youth Day

"Building a Better World: Partnering with Youth"
This year's International Youth Day (IYD) event was held on the 11th of August 2012 at the Mwembe Yanga Grounds in Temeke District. The event was a collaboration between the Ministry of Information, Youth Sports and Culture and UNFPA with support from other organizations including ILO, UNIC, UNESCO, AMREF, UMATI, TYC, CDF, UNFPA-YAP and Temeke Youth Development Network (TeYoDeN). Activities held on the day included 2 Soccer matches between 4 football teams, 2 female teams and 2 male teams. Supporting activities such as HIV Counseling, testing and Family planning counseling and services were also provided during the event.

The event aimed to highlight key issues specific to Tanzania youth under five thematic areas for education and awareness including; HIV/AIDS prevention, Family planning, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, 2012 Census and the African Youth Charter reservation on the article allowing equal access to education for young girls who become pregnant while in school. Over 1000 youths from the three districts of Dar es Salaam attended the event and around 600 persons were reached through IEC materials as well as counseling and testing services.

In her closing remarks, the United Nations Population Fund Acting Representative, Mariam Khan, urged the government and the society to commit to making youth partners to development and to ensuring that youth participate in decision making at all levels. "young people need to have a voice in matters that concern them and their communities.". Khan commented
International Youth Day is celebrated each year on 12 August to encourage young men and women, as well as other stakeholders around the world to develop and engage in partnerships with and for youth towards building a better world. The theme of the 2012 celebration was "Building a Better World: