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Blog & Updates
Blog
Rebelling against harmful narratives: An act of justice
It became clear that even in a patriarchal system, no one is truly safe if the community meant to support them is at odds with the realities of young people. Harmful practices, including FGM, child marriage, and other forms of violence against children, strip young people of dignity, safety, and opportunity. My work at the Youth Anti-FGM Network Kenya, a renowned movement of young people, is driven by a mission to galvanize youth momentum through advocacy, knowledge sharing, capacity strengthening, and innovation for social change. Yet it was only in the 1980s, with instruments like the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, that the continent began actively centering human rights in its work. Today, Africa is increasingly at the forefront of digital transformation and governance, as exemplified by the AU’s Online Safety Model Law, which demonstrates that the continent is shaping human rights protections for the digital era rather than merely reacting. In the city of Ekurhuleni, I met a young African woman coder whose work exemplifies how the next generation is claiming their space in technology, AI, and innovation. Those words guided me as I engaged in discussions on youth leadership, innovation, and digital safety, reflecting on how African youth can claim their rightful place in shaping the future. I keep going because every time a youth leader is treated not as decoration but as a policymaker, we move closer to the world Nelson Mandela imagined when he said, “It always seems impossible until it is done.” That impossible future, where human rights violations are relics of history and youth voices shape policy, is the one I am fighting for.
October 12, 2025
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Blog
The key to digital safety? Letting youth lead every step of the way
Young people are the most active online, so they should have a say in shaping the digital world we live in. With the G20 Summit approaching, world leaders have the power to involve youth in co-creating solutions to digital safety. In South Africa, where I’m from, one of the main threats to online safety is limited digital literacy among both children and their caregivers. Many young people are active online but lack the skills to recognize unsafe situations, such as scams, grooming attempts, or misinformation. Some are running online campaigns to stop cyberbullying, others are working with schools to include digital literacy in the curriculum. Youth should be directly involved in conversations about online safety, not just as recipients of guidance, but as active partners and change-makers. Young people are the most active online, so we should have a say in shaping the digital world we live in.
October 8, 2025
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