Tanzania Youth Drive Local Action for Sustainable Development

Dodoma & Zanzibar - Tanzania  – 12 August 2025 – Tanzania marked International Youth Day 2025 with vibrant celebrations in both Dodoma and Pemba, uniting government leaders, youth organizations, civil society, development partners, and the United Nations to spotlight the power of young people in shaping sustainable development.

Held under the global theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond: Youth, Peace and Local Action”, the events highlighted the critical role of young people in adapting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to local contexts, ensuring local solutions meet the needs of communities while aligning with national, regional, and global frameworks.

The commemorations featured a national youth exhibition in Dodoma, where innovative youth-led projects were showcased, alongside youth forums held in Dodoma and Pemba that brought together young leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to exchange ideas and propose solutions in relation to their health, well being, and socio-economic opportunities. 

In Pemba, His Excellency Mr Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, the Second Vice President of Zanzibar, urged young people to seize the moment. 

“The time for youth to act is now. Your ideas, energy, and determination are what will carry Zanzibar and Tanzania towards our Vision 2050. We must continue to create an enabling environment where youth leadership thrives and drives transformation at every level,” he said.

An inspiring example came from Makunduchi, Unguja, where 23-year-old social entrepreneur Sabrina Juma founded a youth-led initiative converting coconut waste and recycled plastics into eco-friendly construction bricks. Her project creates jobs, reduces pollution, and builds climate-resilient homes, advancing SDG 11 on sustainable cities and SDG 13 on climate action. It also provides mentorship for girls, green entrepreneurship training, and fosters partnerships between youth and local leaders.

Reflecting on the role of youth in national development in Zanzibar, Honourable Tabia Maulid Mwita, Minister of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, said: “Young people are not just the future—they are the present. Our duty is to equip them with the tools, opportunities, and spaces to innovate and lead. When we invest in youth, we invest in the very foundation of Tanzania’s progress.”

A strong emphasis was placed on leaving no one behind, with a commitment to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to opportunities, leadership spaces, and resources. The event showcased inclusive participation, from sign language interpretation to wheelchair-accessible venues, ensuring all young people could fully participate and contribute.

Speaking on behalf of youth with disabilities, Muniry Juma, a 21-year-old advocate from Zanzibar, expressed his appreciation: 

“Today, I feel seen, valued, and empowered. Being here means my voice matters, and my contributions count. Inclusion is not charity—it is our right, and it strengthens our communities.”

In Dodoma, the Chief Guest, Ms. Zuhura Yunus Abdallah, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office – Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disabilities, encouraged youth to remain proactive in shaping the nation’s future. 

“Tanzania’s progress depends on the creativity, resilience, and leadership of its young people. We are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind—including persons with disabilities—in our journey towards sustainable and inclusive development,” she said.

The United Nations commended the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar for their commitment to youth empowerment through progressive policies, including the National Youth Development Policy (2024) and the Zanzibar Youth Policy (2023). These policies place youth at the core of Tanzania’s Vision 2050. 

The government was also commended for enhancing access to health through increased human resources and infrastructure development, and boosting economic opportunities among youth through agriculture and industrialization.

The United Nations in Tanzania reaffirmed its partnership with government, civil society, and youth-led organizations to expand access to quality youth-friendly health information and services, promote digital and green skills, support youth participation in governance and peacebuilding, and strengthen accountability systems to ensure no young person—regardless of gender, location, or ability—is left behind.

Speaking at the IYD event in Pemba, Melissa McNeil Barrett, UNFPA Deputy Representative and the Officer in Charge, underscored the urgency of continued investment in youth. She emphasized that the potential of every young person must be recognized, nurtured, and unleashed. "Youth hold the solutions to many of the challenges we face," she stated. "When we provide them with the resources, trust, and space to lead, they will build a more just, peaceful, and sustainable Tanzania."

Melissa echoed this call, urging that as Tanzania looks toward 2030 — and even further to 2050 — the nation’s demographic dividend must be transformed into a true development dividend. "Young people are not merely the leaders of tomorrow — they are the leaders of today. When youth lead, peace and progress follow."