Sustainable urbanisation cannot be achieved without the making of creative efforts proportionate to the challenges affecting urban centres, cities and towns. Importantly, there is need to fully involve youth and tap into their creativity and energy in the design and implementation of urban agenda—youth in cities and towns are facing huge challenges.  

That is why the World Urban Forum on sustainable urbanisation in Poland was crucial for collective deliberation, intelligent debate, exchange of ideas, and solutions, some of which could be applied immediately, others which need to be developed, but all working towards transforming cities for a better future. 

A better urban future will require overcoming the multiple crises facing cities. The climate emergency, the massive disruption and impact of Covid on cities and communities, the growing inequalities and breakdown of the social contract.  

The WUF was established in 2001 by the UN to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world—rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies. The first WUF was in Nairobi, in 2002 and has been held around the world since. 

According to the reports of the UN Habitat, by 2050, more than 90 per cent of the world’s population especially the youth would be dwelling in urban areas. We must do everything in our power so that youth can thrive in urban areas. Address the needs and concerns of youth in cities and towns to avoid any escalations. We need to focus efforts on establishing an effective response regarding youth unemployment, deprivation and exclusion.  

Kenya, for instance, has a youthful urban population; the latest data from the census 2019 reveals. In this case, 35.7 million Kenyans (75.1 per cent) are below 35 years, while the total urban population makes up 31.1 per cent of Kenyans, totalling 14.83 million. In Kenya, the population pyramid for urban areas indicates the majority of the population is concentrated between ages 20 and 34 years, and many of the youth are unemployed.  

Cities have shown to have the power to pull people out of poverty and provide many benefits—raising incomes, delivering services efficiently and creating opportunities that can’t exist anywhere else. Focusing on creating jobs for youth and making them accessible to poor or otherwise vulnerable young populations are first steps towards creating cities of hope for a future that will be overwhelmingly urban. 

If not taken seriously, youth problems could be a serious threat to the future of youth in general. There have to be specifically designed policies for youth, not only to alleviate the unemployment and underemployment incidences, but also to improve the social-cultural structure, thus creating a safe and sound environment for them to grow, study and participate in the development of their communities.  

As former UN boss Ban Ki-moon remarked, it is high time that we stopped viewing our young people as part of the problem and started cultivating their promise and potential…, let us all resolve to invest in and protect our most valuable resource, and give young men and women a fair and full stake in our society, and in its success.  

Sustainable development, human rights, and peace and security can only be achieved if we empower young people enable them to unleash their full potential. But championing youth causes should not be seen as a favour, but rather as the necessary, undeniable, embrace of our collective future.  

— The writer is a Public Policy Analyst