The current global youth population is 2.4 billion, the largest in history. The growing number of young people poses both an opportunity for and a challenge to USAID’s development goals. When youth contribute to economic, social, and civic life, they help lift their countries out of poverty, ensure greater stability, and create healthier societies.
This brief provides a synopsis of USAID development programming that engages young people in meaningful ways, including examples of the positive impacts of the Agency’s investments in youth globally from October 2022 to September 2023.
The programs highlighted here exemplify USAID’s updated 2022 Youth in Development Policy, which guides our programming toward an overarching goal: Increasing young people’s meaningful participation in their communities, schools, organizations, economies, peer groups, and families; enhancing their skills; providing opportunities; and fostering healthy relationships so they may build on their collective leadership.
