UNODC announces the winners of the #Participate4Impact Competition on youth and community-led initiatives to prevent and combat drugs, violence and crime

Cairo, Egypt - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA) held today in Cairo the “Participate4Impact” competition winners awarding event. The competition aims at discovering youth and community-led initiatives to prevent and combat drugs, violence and crime, in collaboration with national Governments of Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Sudan. The event was hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt and supported by the Federal Republic of Germany.

The evaluation committee recognized the winners in two categories: youth individuals aged 15-29, and youth-focused organizations: Ahmed Abdulghani from Libya and Al-Abrahemiya Media Center from Egypt, respectively.

The event was attended by Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, the Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports and Ms. Cristina Albertin, the UNODC Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa. The event included a number of representatives of Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Sudan and representatives of youth targeting organizations, non-governmental organizations, youth groups, the media and relevant stakeholders.

Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, noted that "our young people face many challenges to their social security but the most important challenge in our Arab region remains to raise young people's awareness of the dangers of drugs, crime and related violence. This drives us to make a lot of efforts to provide the right and clear information to youth about the effects of these negative phenomena on their physical and psychological health and on their future. " Sobhy further added that "enhanced cooperation between the Government and community and youth institutions is a priority. We must achieve this by building strong partnerships and sharing knowledge and expertise, providing resources for the implementation of programmes and projects aimed at combating drugs and crime, and that we must work together as a society to address the challenges of drugs and crime."

Ms. Cristina Albertin emphasized in her remarks that the “importance of amplifying the voices of youth, engaging them in policymaking, and forging strong partnerships with civil society has gained wide global recognition. The development of interventions that are youth-focused and tailored to their unique needs is essential for fostering resilient and empowered generations. UNODC is committed to supporting Member States in integrating youth in crime prevention efforts and evidence-based drug use prevention, ensuring better protection for children and youth from justice systems.”

Launched in May 2023, the “Participate4Impact” regional competition aimed at enabling youth, youth associations, civil society organizations and academic centres in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Sudan to develop innovative initiatives empowering young people, strengthening their resilience and providing social and economic alternatives to drugs, violence, crime and corruption. The competition garnered a total of 246 applications from the six participating countries, with twenty-two entities (10 individuals, 12 organizations) advancing to present their initiatives before the esteemed evaluation committee in Cairo.  The individual category winner received a laptop, the winning organization garnered a partnership for implementation support for the initiative amounting $5,000, and all participants were awarded recognition certificates for their efforts.

The competition is a part of the “Youth 4 Impact” regional programme to empower young men and women, including those who are marginalized and at risk, to face life's challenges and become more resilient against crime, violence, and drugs. Since its inception in 2022, "Youth 4 Impact" has positively impacted the lives of 51,460 individuals across the region, working alongside 58 national counterparts. The programme is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Development and Economic Cooperation (BMZ).

In alignment with the UNODC 2021-2025 Strategy, which underscores youth empowerment as a pivotal approach, the "Youth 4 Impact" programme adopts a methodology of working “for youth” and “with youth,” fostering co-creation. This is congruent with the UNODC Regional Framework for the Arab States 2023-2028, which identifies youth as a key catalyst for enhancing crime and violence prevention and criminal justice.

More information:

2022 Youth 4 Impact Achievements Report

Youth & UNODC

The regional launch of the “Youth 4 Impact” programme in Cairo

YOUTH: At the heart of UNODC's work towards the Sustainable Development Goals (2023)