USAID/PPL's Susan Reichle on Agency's New Policy On Youth In Development

The following reflection on USAID's new Youth in Development Policy was originally posted on USAID's Impact Blog on November 1, 2012.

Those of us who are parents know that the sun and moon rise around our children. To those of us who are in development, we know that young people have the strength to move the sun and the moon… and sometimes more.

USAID recently launched the Agency’s first Policy on Youth in Development to make young people a driving force in our development. I am excited about this, because it creates a specific place for youth as partners and leaders in global development—and this, in turn, can help us achieve sustainable results for their families, communities and countries.

Young people must be front and center in development throughout the world. They are critical to alleviating poverty with economic growth, fighting disease and defending human rights. They are also an essential part of promoting peaceful democracy, protecting the planet and fostering innovation. Think back to the Arab Spring and more often than not, it was the determination of youth that inspired us.

I saw this first hand as Mission Director in Colombia, where engaging and preparing young people was a central tenet of our approach to citizen security. Whether it was retraining youth after demobilizing them from an illegally armed group or supporting the internally displaced, youth were critical to achieving larger development objectives.

The new Youth in Development Policy strengthens our commitment to elevate the voices and power of young people in all aspects of our work. They will be a central component in all development planning.

I recall Secretary Clinton’s recent words, “With more than half the global population under the age of 30 years and with the vast majority residing in developing countries, young people are at the heart of today’s great strategic opportunities and challenges.”

I am heartened by USAID’s new Youth Policy because it takes these sentiments one step further and makes young people a driving force in our development throughout the world.

Youth in Development joins a series of policies on important issues such as gender equality, climate change, and violent extremism that USAID has recently created to direct us and our missions’ focus in the strategic planning process.