Never before in history have there been so many young people in the world. Yet major inequalities persist in access to education, training and employment. And wherever they are given the opportunity, young people demonstrate their essential role as agents of change and drivers of development for their communities. This is the spirit in which Action Education has been working for over 40 years, working alongside the most vulnerable young people in Africa, Asia and Europe, and raising awareness of these issues among the general public in Switzerland.

With 1.2 billion young people aged between 15 and 24 - 90 % of whom live in developing countries - this generation represents an immense potential for building fairer, more inclusive and sustainable societies. In sub-Saharan Africa, the population is expected to double by 2050, with almost one billion children and young people. But to turn this potential into a real opportunity, many challenges still need to be met: access to basic services, quality education, gender equality, the fight against unemployment and the informal economy, civic participation, and mobilisation in the face of climate change.

Empowering young people to change society

Today, around 250 million young people around the world are not in employment, training or education (NEET). Nearly 77 % of them are young women, facing multiple discrimination linked to gender, social or ethnic origin. Lacking prospects, some young people are driven towards trafficking, violence or illegal emigration.

To meet these challenges, Action Education deploys its programmes around two complementary axes: the education-training-employment continuum and civic engagement. Our approach, based on human rights, aims to enable young people to become fully involved in their future and in the development of their community.

Children having fun in Tonle, Cambodia. August 2024. Gilles Oger/Action Education

Education and training: levers for emancipation

In South Asia, for example, the iLEAD programme has already enabled more than 250,000 young people - nearly half of them women - to train in more than 40 professions, with a placement rate of 75 %.

In India, Surya, 24, recounts:
"I come from a modest background and I discovered iLEAD thanks to friends. After three months' training in accounting and English, I found a job in a bank. Today, I work for a major consultancy firm and I pass on my experience to the young people at the centre where I was trained.

In Laos, we train young women from ethnic minorities in entrepreneurship to promote their economic integration. Phonexay, 32, saw her income increase by 2 million Kip (around USD 120) after launching her own business. She says she is "very proud to be able to support [herself] and contribute to [her] family's income". Sy, 31, has learnt natural dyeing techniques, enabling her to generate an income while preserving local know-how.

In Madagascar, the Sandratra project supports young single mothers who have dropped out of school through literacy, self-confidence and vocational training workshops, paving the way for employment or self-entrepreneurship.

Training committed citizens

Because economic emancipation goes hand in hand with civic participation, Action Education also encourages young people to exercise their rights and get involved in the life of their community.

In Togo, the ENJEF raises awareness among young people and local authorities of the importance of their participation in public decision-making, in order to prevent violent extremism. Mr Kpongou, a local councillor in Kpendjal, says: "The workshop made us aware of the importance of governing with young people and women, especially in decisions that affect them".

In Guinea, the Skills for Tomorrow programme is based on Laboratoires d'Innovation Sociale (LABIS), which are real spaces for learning, entrepreneurship and civic initiatives.

Towards more inclusive and sustainable societies

The stories of Surya, Phonexay and Sy demonstrate the power of education, training and civic engagement. By investing in the empowerment of young people - and particularly young women - we are breaking down structural barriers and helping to build more resilient and prosperous societies.

A human rights-based approach

Our action is based on the conviction that every young person must be considered as a player in his or her own development, and that governments and local institutions have a responsibility to respect and promote their fundamental rights.