In a significant step towards inclusive advocacy, UNICEF YuWaah, in collaboration with UNFPA and UNHCR, has launched the Technical Guidelines for Engaging the Most Marginalized, designed to ensure that underserved youth, often overlooked by mainstream programs, are actively involved in programming and decision-making. The launch, held at Youth Central during UNICEF YuWaah’s fifth-anniversary celebrations, highlighted the organization’s milestone of impacting nearly 100 million young people across India.
The guidelines were unveiled by prominent leaders, Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative; Areti Sianni, Chief of Mission, UNHCR India; Lorna Rolls, Deputy Representative, UNFPA India; and Dhuwarakha Sriram, Chief of YuWaah (Generation Unlimited India). Over 100 global leaders and youth changemakers gathered to address pressing youth issues in India, participating in discussions on career guidance, climate resilience, engagement with marginalized communities, entrepreneurship, mental health, 21st-century skills, and women’s workforce participation.
Shri Nitesh Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, expressed the ministry’s long-standing partnership with UNICEF YuWaah, noting, “We have a long-standing partnership with UNICEF YuWaah and together have empowered young people, including volunteers from National Service Scheme (NSS) and MY Bharat, to develop skills and contribute to nation-building.” He added that YuWaah has “enabled young people across diverse communities to actively shape their futures through essential tools and skills. It has also played an important role as a knowledge partner for advancing youth-centric governance, helping shape the G20’s Y20 agenda, and providing insights on the future of work. Together, we are building a foundation that ensures every young person has the opportunity to drive India’s progress towards a Viksit Bharat.”
Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative and Co-chair of the UNICEF YuWaah Board underscored the commitment to inclusion, stating, “As we launch the Technical Guidelines for Engaging the Most Marginalized, UNICEF India reaffirms its commitment to an inclusive future for young people of India. These guidelines aim to foster conversations and actions that promote an equitable future for marginalized youth, empowering them to unlock their potential and realize their aspirations. Placing gender and equity at the centre of our work is not just strategic; it’s essential. We aim to dismantle the systemic obstacles that hold back girls and marginalized youth, providing them with fair opportunities to build successful livelihoods.”
The Technical Guidelines are anchored in the RAISE-TM Framework, encompassing Relevance, Accessibility, Inclusivity, Safeguarding, Enabling, and Transformative Monitoring, which provides structured strategies for sustainable impact. Practitioners are encouraged to use the framework’s self-assessment tool to tailor programs that effectively meet the unique needs of marginalized youth, aiding their journey from education to livelihoods and ensuring they are equipped with the skills to thrive.
