Global Engagements

At Y-ACT, youth leadership is practiced in real spaces where decisions, partnerships, and ideas take shape. This page captures moments where young advocates come together with policymakers, civil society leaders, and development partners to engage on the issues shaping Africa’s future. Through intergenerational dialogues, regional convenings, policy conversations, and community engagements, these gatherings create room for young people to share lived realities, exchange ideas, and influence the conversations that affect their lives and communities. Here you will find reflections on these moments, insights from the discussions, and stories that show how youth leadership translates into action. Each convening reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that young voices are heard, valued, and present at the table where decisions are made.

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Theme: Africa's leadership for a new world health order.

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Shaping National and Regional Policy

AHAIC Youth Summit 2025: Empowering Youth for Health Transformation

Date & Location:

March 2025, AHAIC 2025 (Africa Health Agenda International Conference)

Partners/Stakeholders Involved:

  • Y-ACT (Youth in Action)
  • African Union Commission
  • Various Youth Innovators and Health Advocates

The AHAIC Youth Summit 2025 was a dynamic and impactful event that brought together young leaders, policymakers, and innovators to advance the agenda for youth-led health transformation in Africa. The summit started with high-energy opening sessions featuring prominent speakers such as Desta Lakew, Ilwad Elmi Mohamed, and Dr. Githinji Gitahi, who discussed youth leadership, power dynamics, and the role of young people in shaping health governance. Young innovators Emmanuel Cosmas Msoka and Dominion Paul showcased groundbreaking youth-led digital health solutions, illustrating the transformative power of youth in healthcare. A Fishbowl Q&A and Fireside Chats provided a space for candid discussions on policy gaps, funding challenges, and the future of healthcare leadership. The summit also hosted a high-level Africa Youth Charter @20 session with the African Union Commission, with youth actively shaping the next phase of youth rights and governance. Insights from virtual consultations revealed youth priorities on healthcare access, SRHR, mental health, and economic opportunities. The event concluded with a “Walk for Change,” symbolizing Africa’s youth-led movement for health equity and social transformation.

Key Outcomes/Impact Points:

  1. Energized youth-led discussions on health transformation and governance
  2. Showcased youth-led digital health solutions and innovative advocacy work
  3. Facilitated unfiltered dialogue on policy gaps, funding, and leadership in healthcare
  4. Strengthened youth contributions to the future of the Africa Youth Charter
  5. Highlighted youth priorities on SRHR, mental health, and healthcare access
  6. Fostered networking and collaboration among young leaders for post-summit action

Healing Minds, Shaping Future: Mental Health Advocacy at AHAIC 2025

Date & Location:

March 2025, AHAIC 2025 (Africa Health Agenda International Conference)

At AHAIC 2025, Y-ACT led a powerful PoP (Point of Pride) session titled “Healing Minds, Shaping Future,” addressing uncomfortable truths about African mental health. With the burden of mental health issues disproportionately affecting young people, the session called for urgent action to break the cycles of silence and stigma surrounding mental well-being. The conversation centered on how Africa’s future cannot be built on the neglect of the next generation’s well-being. The session highlighted the high cost of inaction on mental health and the need to build systems that prioritize mental well-being. Solutions were presented that focus on creating environments where young people can speak out, access support, and receive care without fear of judgment. Y-ACT stressed that Africa’s progress depends on the mental health of its youth, advocating for the inclusion of mental well-being in all conversations about the continent’s future.

Key Outcomes/Impact Points:

  • Raised awareness about the mental health crisis facing young people in Africa
  • Called for breaking the silence and stigma around mental health
  • Presented solutions for building mental health systems that support young people
  • Emphasized that Africa’s progress is tied to the well-being of its youth
  • Advocated for the prioritization of mental health in all discussions about Africa’s future

Kenya: Strengthening the National Tobacco Control Framework

From February to June, Y-ACT partnered with Kenya’s Ministry of Health, through the Division of Drugs and Substance Abuse Control (DSAC), alongside county governments, civil society organizations, development partners and technical experts to shape two national policy instruments: The National Tobacco Control Strategic Plan (2026-2030) and the National Tobacco and Nicotine Dependence Treatment and Cessation Guidelines. Through a series of technical workshops, Y-ACT contributed evidence and expertise to strengthen national approaches to tobacco prevention, cessation services, governance and implementation. As a technical partner, Y-ACT participated in reviewing strategic priorities, refining implementation frameworks and strengthening guidance on tobacco dependence treatment, emerging nicotine products and the integration of cessation services into primary healthcare. The organization also advocated for greater inclusion of young people within tobacco control policy processes, ensuring that youth perspectives informed Kenya’s next generation of tobacco control strategies. 

Regional Coordination: African Regional Tobacco Control Core Partners' Meeting | Namibia

In April, Y-ACT participated in the World Health Organization-convened African Regional Tobacco Control Core Partners’ Meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, alongside the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA), Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), Management Sciences for Health (MSH), Development Gateway (DG), African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), government representatives and academic institutions from across Africa. As a core implementing partner, Y-ACT moderated technical sessions on youth engagement and emerging tobacco control issues while presenting progress from its tobacco control programs in Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zambia. The meeting concluded with partners identifying youth-centered advocacy as a regional priority and agreeing to strengthen collaboration on policy implementation across participating countries. It also created opportunities for Y-ACT to deepen strategic partnerships, including a joint advocacy track with ATCA to accelerate implementation of Sierra Leone’s Tobacco Control Act, reinforcing Y-ACT’s role in shaping regional tobacco control dialogue across Africa. 

Youth Leadership on the Global Stage

Women Deliver 2026 - Melbourne, Australia | 27 to 30 April 2026

Y-ACT contributed to global discussions at the Women Deliver 2026 Conference, one of the world’s largest global convenings on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), where we delved into critical conversations shaping the future of youth leadership, accountability and gender justice. During the conference, Y-ACT presented the Youth Power Hub Study, elevating evidence and lived experiences from 347 young people across 23 countries in Africa and demonstrating how youth-led accountability can strengthen governance and decision-making. The conference also provided a platform for Y-ACT to engage policymakers, youth leaders, civil society organizations and development partners on meaningful youth engagement, trust-based financing, feminist movement-building and community-led accountability. These conversations continue to inform Y-ACT’s advocacy while strengthening partnerships that support youth leadership across Africa. The launch of the Melbourne Declaration for Gender Equality and the Manifesto for Adolescent Girls’ Rights further reinforced priorities that closely align with Y-ACT’s mission. 

Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYOF)

Y-ACT participated in the Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYOF), convening young leaders, governments, development partners and civil society organizations to advance youth-led solutions for sustainable development. The organization’s participation was officially opened by Acting Director Winnie Olwal, who emphasized the importance of youth leadership, collaboration and meaningful partnerships in shaping regional development agendas. Y-ACT also led a technical session on “Youth Leadership in Advancing Alternative Livelihoods and Tobacco-Free Farms,” highlighting that ending the tobacco epidemic requires more than reducing tobacco consumption. It also demands viable economic alternatives for farming communities. By connecting tobacco control with climate-smart agriculture, sustainable enterprises and resilient food systems, Y-ACT advanced a broader conversation on youth leadership in achieving both public health and sustainable development outcomes. 

Women Deliver 2026 - Melbourne, Australia | 27 to 30 April 2026

Y-ACT contributed to global discussions at the Women Deliver 2026 Conference, one of the world’s largest global convenings on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), where we delved into critical conversations shaping the future of youth leadership, accountability and gender justice. During the conference, Y-ACT presented the Youth Power Hub Study, elevating evidence and lived experiences from 347 young people across 23 countries in Africa and demonstrating how youth-led accountability can strengthen governance and decision-making. The conference also provided a platform for Y-ACT to engage policymakers, youth leaders, civil society organizations and development partners on meaningful youth engagement, trust-based financing, feminist movement-building and community-led accountability. These conversations continue to inform Y-ACT’s advocacy while strengthening partnerships that support youth leadership across Africa. The launch of the Melbourne Declaration for Gender Equality and the Manifesto for Adolescent Girls’ Rights further reinforced priorities that closely align with Y-ACT’s mission. 

Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYOF)

Y-ACT participated in the Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYOF), convening young leaders, governments, development partners and civil society organizations to advance youth-led solutions for sustainable development. The organization’s participation was officially opened by Acting Director Winnie Olwal, who emphasized the importance of youth leadership, collaboration and meaningful partnerships in shaping regional development agendas. Y-ACT also led a technical session on “Youth Leadership in Advancing Alternative Livelihoods and Tobacco-Free Farms,” highlighting that ending the tobacco epidemic requires more than reducing tobacco consumption. It also demands viable economic alternatives for farming communities. By connecting tobacco control with climate-smart agriculture, sustainable enterprises and resilient food systems, Y-ACT advanced a broader conversation on youth leadership in achieving both public health and sustainable development outcomes. 

World No Tobacco Day : A Regional Campaign

Under the global theme “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,” Y-ACT coordinated World No Tobacco Day activities across Sierra Leone, Zambia and South Africa. While each country responded to its own policy context, the campaign shared a common objective: amplifying youth voices while advancing stronger tobacco control policy, public awareness and multisectoral collaboration. 

Sierra Leone

Y-ACT co-convened a multi-stakeholder tobacco control forum alongside the Ministry of Health, WHO, ATCA, the Health for All Coalition and the National Tobacco Control Steering Committee. The commemoration included school engagement sessions, a public health walk, high-level stakeholder dialogues and advocacy meetings that showcased Y-ACT’s Anti-Tobacco School Clubs as a sustainable youth-led prevention model.

The engagement resulted in renewed public commitment from senior Ministry of Health leadership to support the appointment of the Chairperson of the Tobacco Control Council, an important milestone toward operationalizing the country’s tobacco control governance framework. These engagements further strengthened collaboration among government, civil society and development partners while positioning young people as key drivers of policy and systems change. 

Zambia

Y-ACT’s Tobacco Control Coalition in Zambia partnered with the Tobacco Free Association of Zambia (TOFAZ), the Center for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD), Master Chomba’s Foundation (MCF), the Tobacco Control Consortium of Zambia (TCCZ) and other national stakeholders to amplify youth voices through media engagement, public awareness and national advocacy.

The campaign included a national press briefing, a live discussion on Hot FM and participation in the national World No Tobacco Day commemoration at the Mulungushi International Conference Center, where the Coalition showcased policy briefs, parliamentary submissions, fact sheets and other knowledge products demonstrating the impact of youth-led advocacy. Through these engagements, Y-ACT strengthened public awareness, increased the visibility of youth leadership and reinforced evidence-based tobacco control advocacy in Zambia. 

South Africa

Alongside advocacy for the proposed Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, Y-ACT and its partners, Get Informed Youth Development Center and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), reached communities, schools and universities through community dialogues, school engagements, university forums, radio interviews and digital media.

The campaign raised awareness of how the tobacco and nicotine industry targets young people through product design, marketing and emerging nicotine products while increasing understanding of the proposed legislation. Radio broadcasts alone reached an estimated 200,000 listeners, reinforcing youth participation in tobacco control advocacy and promoting healthier communities. 

International Recognition

Swiss Association for Tobacco Control Feature | June 2026

Y-ACT’s youth-led initiative for tobacco control was featured in an article by the Swiss Association for Tobacco Control (AT Schweiz) titled “When Youth Lead, Policy Follows: Lessons from Africa for Switzerland.” The publication explored what Switzerland and other high-income countries can learn from Africa’s approach to tobacco control and positioned Y-ACT as an example of how meaningful youth participation strengthens public health policy and accountable governance.

The feature highlighted Y-ACT’s work in training more than 1,000 young advocates across Africa, supporting advocacy in 21 countries and influencing policy at national, regional and global levels. It also featured an interview with Acting Director Winnie Olwal on youth leadership, tobacco industry interference and public health policy. The publication positioned Y-ACT not simply as an African program but as a youth-led advocacy model with lessons for tobacco control globally.