The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) proudly joins young people in Kenya and across the world in commemorating International Youth Day 2026. Observed annually on 12 August, the day provides an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of young people and renew commitments to address the barriers that limit their full participation in society. The theme for 2026 is “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”
Young people live under different social, economic, political and cultural conditions. Their experiences are shaped by gender, disability, geographical location, education, income, conflict, displacement and access to technology. Despite these differences, young people share common aspirations for dignity, quality education, decent work, good health, peace, equality and a meaningful role in shaping their future.
Kenya has a predominantly youthful population. According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, three-quarters of the population are aged 35 years and below, and about one third are aged between 18 and 34. This presents significant potential for innovation, productivity, leadership and national transformation. The youthful population creates an obligation to invest in the capabilities, well-being and participation of young people. Article 55 of the Constitution requires the State to take measures, including affirmative action, to ensure that young people access relevant education and training, employment and opportunities to participate in political, social and economic life, and are protected from harmful cultural practices and exploitation.
Kenya has made progress in developing legal, policy and institutional frameworks for youth empowerment. Investments in technical and vocational education and training, digital skills, entrepreneurship, innovation and the creative economy directly benefit youth. Youth enterprise funds and the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities programme create pathways for youth-owned enterprises to access finance and public procurement. The youth employment and enterprise programmes have similarly expanded training, work experience and business-support opportunities. The recently launched National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project provides business skills training, start-up capital, apprenticeships, mentorship and a structured savings component, and has already enabled thousands of young entrepreneurs to establish or expand enterprises.
While appreciating the much progress Kenya has made on youth empowerment, many young people continue to experience unemployment, underemployment and insecure livelihoods. A large proportion of work in the informal andlow-quality jobs offers youth limited income, inadequate social protection and limited prospects for advancement. The transition from education to work remains difficult. Internship and attachment placements provide valuable exposure but rarely lead to employment. The number of internship opportunities falls short of the number of graduates entering the labour market each year. Youth-owned enterprises continue to face inadequate capital, limited markets, complicated procurement procedures and delayed payments.
Young women, youth with disabilities, young people in informal settlements, rural and pastoralist youth, refugees, and youth from minority and marginalised communities face compounded structural barriers. Young women are particularly affected by unpaid care responsibilities, gender-based violence, discrimination and restricted access to productive resources. Youth participation in governance is often below thresholds. In the 2022 General Election, young people constituted 40 per cent of registered voters, and showed a decline from 2017 voter registration outcomes. High campaign costs, limited civic education, weak internal party democracy, political violence, online abuse and inadequate opportunities within political parties continue to discourage youth participation.
Young people are also increasingly affected by mental health challenges, substance abuse, misinformation, technologically facilitated violence and the effects of climate change. These challenges require coordinated responses that reflect the different realities of young people across the country. As Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, young people must be recognised not only as voters or political mobilisers, but also as candidates, observers, election officials, civic educators, policymakers and leaders.
As we commemorate this day, the Commission calls upon:
1. The National and county governments to fully implement Article 55 of the Constitution and the 2019 Kenya Youth Development Policy.
2. Ministries, training institutions and employers to link training to labour market demands through apprenticeships and industrial attachments. There is a need to expand such training opportunities to youngwomen, youth with disabilities and marginalised youth.
3. The Public Service Commission, county public service boards and the private sector to expand internship opportunities and to create clear pathways from internship into employment.
4. The procuring entities to enforce the 30 per cent procurement reservations of their annual budget to youth, women, and Persons with Disabilities
5. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and political parties to strengthen youth participation in governance through enhanced and continuous voter registration, civic education, affordable nomination processes and meaningful representation in political-party leadership and candidature.
6. National and county health sector to expand youth-centred services for mental health, sexual and reproductive health, substance abuse, and response to gender-based violence.
7. The Ministry of Education to continue guaranteeing school re-entry and retention for adolescent girls affected by early pregnancy.
8. Young people across Kenya to register as voters,participate peacefully and denounce political violence, hate speech and misinformation.
The National Gender and Equality Commission reaffirms its commitment to promoting equality, inclusion and freedom from discrimination for all persons, including young people.
Happy International Youth Day 2026.
Hon. Rehema Jaldesa
CHAIRPERSON
