Celebrating Two Decades of Advancing Youth Rights, Participation and Development in Africa

Africa is home to the world’s youngest population, with young people serving as the continent’s greatest asset and a driving force for innovation, economic growth, peace, and sustainable development. Recognizing the central role of youth in achieving the aspirations of Agenda 2063, the African Union continues to champion policies and legal instruments that place young people at the heart of Africa’s transformation.

Adopted by the Assembly of the African Union on 2 July 2006 in Banjul, The Gambia, the African Youth Charter (AYC) is the continent’s foremost legally binding instrument dedicated to promoting, protecting, and advancing the rights, responsibilities, and development of young people aged 15 to 35. The Charter provides Member States with a comprehensive framework to strengthen youth participation, expand access to education, employment, health, peace and security, and ensure that young people are empowered to contribute meaningfully to national and continental development.

Over the past two decades, the African Youth Charter has served as a cornerstone of the African Union’s youth development agenda, inspiring national youth policies, legislative reforms, and programmes that seek to create an enabling environment for Africa’s young people to thrive. It remains a key normative instrument supporting the realization of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

In 2026, the African Union marks the 20th anniversary of the African Youth Charter under the AYC@20 campaign. This milestone provides an opportunity to reflect on two decades of progress, celebrate the Charter’s impact, and reaffirm a shared commitment to advancing youth rights, participation, and leadership across the continent.

The official AYC@20 commemoration will take place during the Pan-African Youth Forum in November 2026, bringing together young people, Member States, policymakers, development partners, civil society, and youth-led organizations from across Africa and the diaspora. The celebration will showcase the Charter’s enduring legacy while highlighting the collective responsibility to continue building an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa driven by its young people.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).