“We are connected, we are one international movement and we are called to act, called to act for just work more than ever. In fact, the social contradictions, inequality, precariousness, informality and unemployment continue to grow, especially in the midst of the global Covid pandemic,” Sarah Prenger, the IYCW international president, said at the opening of the 15^th International Council of the movement, calling all young workers of the world to act for change.

Sarah emphasized that with a strong and deep belief, young workers are able to act for social justice. “Social change is a shared task; you and I must act now to make change a reality.”

“With deep conviction in our hearts and minds, we must do something for change in our daily life, in our neighbourhood, in our school and in our working place,” Sarah said.

Sarah continued, “You and I must do something, we can make a difference, we can change the world. It is with this conviction, together with you, that I declare this XV International Council open. We should not be afraid of change.”

IYCW News - The Americas YCW (JOCA) organised a virtual exchange on 9 and 16 July 2021. The aim was to share about realities, needs, challenges and actions re unemployment and precarious young workers in the world of work at the continental level.

Participants in the event were young workers, activists and adults from different countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, such as Paraguay, Chile, Peru, Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Mexico, Haiti, as well as a young German volunteer in Peru.

“The current global health crisis (Covid-19) has made even more visible the inequalities that we live in our societies; some of us have reinvented ways of work for survival while those who still have a job are submerged in long working hours and faced with double workload. Their salaries are often not enough to cover one or two meals a day plus other fixed costs. In addition, the cost of food, transportation and connectivity has increased,” Ana Cecilia from the Americas YCW team explained.

Basma Louis, IYCW leader

 IYCW News - On 12^th July the NGO-UNESCO liaison Committee organized a preparation meeting for the 75^th anniversary event which will take place this coming September by virtual means.

The NGO-UNESCO liaison committee works with more than 240 NGOs, but only 40 attended this meeting when asked to delegate young people under the age of 30. It is obvious that the NGOs need to include more young people in their organizations and structures.

The objective of the meeting was to develop a Position Paper on Youth and Guidelines for Advocacy to be presented at UNESCO’s 75th Anniversary celebrations. During the meeting, the delegates split into 4 different breakout rooms to discuss more specifically the position paper and the launching of the event. 

The IYCW leader Basma Louis attended the meeting and brought the proposal of the movement to be included in the position paper.