First ever Lords' debate on youth and international development

Being an adolescent is a huge time of change wherever you live in the world, but it is especially formative and crucial when you are growing up in a war-torn country. That’s why War Child played a key role in this month’s first ever debate in the House of Lords dedicated to talking about youth (aged 15-24) in developing countries. The debate was tabled in parliament to mark the UN’s International Year of Youth (IYY) which runs up until August this year. Lords and Baronesses’ from all sides of government made speeches on the importance of youth as agents of change as well as a group that needs to receive specific kinds of aid, especially a quality education, to help them build a hopeful future.

Watch this space: The Youth Working Group who organised the debate (a coalition of UK NGO’s and youth representatives, including War Child UK) will be following up with Baroness Verma who represents the UK Department for International Development to see what the UK government plan to do to help the most vulnerable and deprived youth in this year’s IYY! There is also a transcript of the whole short-debate - find it online.