In a bid to transform education and skilling for India's 300 million young people aged between 10-24 years, Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani launched YuWaah, an initiative supporter by the Unicef.

“India hosts 21 per cent of the world’s adolescent population, and this is where the change needs to begin from. For too long we have concentrated on skilling our young population from the age of 18 and onwards. We need to make people aware and the sense of urgency of skilling and re-skilling from the age of 10 or 12, and this is something that I hope YuWaah addresses,” said Smriti Irani at the launch event.

She said that there was a gender challenge when it comes to skilling, and through YuWaah can address it. Women are not only reduced to the consumers of technology, but should also become front runner for making technology available for the rest of the world.

Generation Unlimited

India is one of the first countries in the world to launch a national initiative (YuWaah) which is linked to the global ‘Generation Unlimited’ movement, that started in New York last year.

In 2018, Unicef initiated the ‘Generation Unlimited’ partnership at the global level. It provides an agenda that all countries can or must do more to support the education, skills and empowerment of young people.

“Any country’s greatest asset is the energy, ideas and vision of its young people. As young people build their own futures, they will build India’s future. Investing in them is the best investment India can make,” said Henrietta Fore, Director, Unicef.

By 2030, YuWaah aims to work with private sector to create aspirational economic opportunities for 50 million young women and 50 million young men through a focus on job opportunities, added the statement.

It further mentioned that it will facilitate 200 million young women and men to gain relevant skills for productive lives and the future of work.