On September 25, 2015, world leaders agreed to a definitive plan to protect the planet and its people by adopting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity for all. The goals are interconnected, apply to all countries and aim to leave no one behind. The 2030 Agenda, which entered into force in January 2016, has been signed by 193 governments including the Government of Benin. To achieve the said objectives in Benin, everyone must be able to contribute: the Government, the Parliament, the Private Sector, the Civil Society as well as any average person.
However, in Benin thousands of young people do not know what the SDGs are and that they should be the actors in its implementation. This is why Elvis Adjahoungba and the CASEC Youth Unit set up the “Young student, Heart of sustainable development” project. This project aims to inform young people about the SDGs, to enlighten them on the evolution of their implementation in Benin and finally to engage them in action in their respective communities. The target of the project is young people, in particular young students and doctoral students from universities in Benin.
This project was marked by the “Forum on Action for Sustainable Development and the Role of Youth” organized on September 25, 2018 as part of the third anniversary of the United Nations 2030 Agenda with # Act4SDGs and MY World . It is the first forum organized by young people who brought together government and local authorities, state structures, international organizations, companies and national NGOs working for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in Benin so that they share the results. of their actions and define the opportunities for collaboration with Youth for a better achievement of the SDGs in Benin.
In 2019 this forum was renamed “Student Youth Forum and Sustainable Development” and this forum brought together more than two hundred young people from Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, United States of America, France and Bolivia. Through this forum, we were able to draft a Declaration of our common visions, commitments and recommendations which is the result of collaboration with 964 young people from 101 countries.
You can read the Forum Report 2019 in French or in English.
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