It is a framework to address the challenges young people face, promoting their engagement in decision-making, skills development, and entrepreneurship, and aligning with both national goals and international frameworks such as the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals and AU Roadmap on Investments in Youth.
Empowerment and Participation: The program emphasizes empowering youth to become positive contributors to community and national development.
Alignment with National and International Frameworks: GPAY aligns with the Gambia's National Development Plan, UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the African Union's youth roadmap.
Stakeholder Engagement: The plan is developed through a participatory process, identifying stakeholders for its implementation.
Partnerships: The UNFPA The Gambia and National Youth Council are actively involved in popularizing and implementing the GPAY, reflecting strong national ownership and international collaboration.
Recent Popularization Drives: As of September 2025, efforts were underway to popularize the 2024-2028 GPAY among young people across different regions of The Gambia.
Focus on Youth-led Change: GPAY aims to challenge the perception of youth as solely victims or perpetrators of conflict, instead positioning them as catalysts for positive change and essential partners in building a better future.
The strategy addresses specific thematic areas, drawing on resolutions from national youth conferences such as National Youth Conference and Festival (NAYCONF).
Meanwhile, The Gambia Programme of Action for Youth 2024-2028 engaged dynamic young people in Banjul to discuss the priority areas outlined in the GPAY.
The GPAY 2024-2028 is aimed at empowering young Gambians to contribute positively to their communities and the country's development journey.
The programme aligns with national and international goals for youth empowerment.
The team of the programme engaged young people of West Coast, Lower River Region and North Bank Region on the popularisation of The Gambia Programme of Action for Youth (GPAY)
The GPAY 2024 -2028 also draws inspiration from the National Youth Conference and Festival (NAYCONF) 2022 Resolutions, highlighting each thematic area with is current status, challenges to be overcome and proposed actions to be undertaken by both duty-bearers and right- holders.
Potential stakeholders are also identified to ensure a participatory implementation process.
The team of the programme toured all regions, engaging with diverse youth groups and stakeholders to ensure everyone's voice is heard.
Read Other Articles In Youth Forum
