Youth SDG Accelerator Workshop Held on the Theme: Youth Powering the SDGs in Ghana

With less than five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the necessity of youth engagement and inclusion has never been more urgent. Ghana’s youthful population represents a reservoir of energy, innovation, and creativity, yet too often young people face barriers to participation in decision-making and limited opportunities to scale their ideas. Without deliberate efforts to empower and include youth, the SDGs risk falling short of their transformative promise.

It was against this backdrop that the Aban Centre for Youth Policy and the Commonwealth Youth Council convened the Youth SDG Accelerator Workshop under the theme “Youth Powering the SDGs in Ghana.” The workshop brought together about 100 young people to explore how youth can accelerate progress towards the SDGs.

Opening the workshop, Ms. Cynthia Prah, Public Information Officer at the United Nations Information Centre, Accra, reminded participants that with just five years to 2030, urgency is critical. She affirmed that Ghana’s youth are a wellspring of creativity and innovation, emphasizing that “the SDGs will only succeed if they are youth-led.” Echoing the late Kofi Annan’s call for young people to be at the forefront of global change, Ms. Prah also pointed to key milestones ahead, including the UN’s 80th anniversary and the #YouthLead Festival in September 2025, as platforms to amplify youth leadership worldwide.

The panel discussion that followed offered a candid assessment of the realities facing young change-makers. Persistent barriers—limited funding, weak volunteering culture, compliance hurdles, and difficulty in gaining visibility on global platforms—were identified as major obstacles. Many youth-led enterprises brim with ideas but lack the structures, knowledge, and certification required to compete internationally.

Yet, amid these challenges, pathways of opportunity shone through. Technology, agriculture, and entrepreneurship hubs are emerging across the country; initiatives like Young Africa Innovates and UNDP’s MSME platforms are opening doors; and scholarships such as Chevening and Commonwealth continue to serve as ladders for global competitiveness. Storytelling, mentorship, and networking were highlighted as essential tools for young people to showcase their impact and gain recognition.

A strong call emerged for impact measurement—ensuring that local actions, from tree planting to waste management, are directly connected to SDG indicators. Panelists emphasized that co-creation, collaboration, and personal investment are indispensable for scaling youth-led solutions.

The workshop closed on a hopeful note: opportunities exist, but they demand preparation, resilience, and persistence. One inspiring example was shared of a Ghanaian student initiative that, after ten years of determination, evolved into a thriving social enterprise and secured £1 million to fight ocean waste.