Similar Posts
Namibia’s Golden Realm
In the golden realm of Namibia’s grace, Where dreams take flight, and youth embrace, A call for justice…
Reimagining The Mbeki Report For A New Generation
n 2015, the Mbeki Panel on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) unveiled a truth that shook the continent: Africa was losing over $50 billion every year through illicit financial flows, all these are resources that could have transformed education, health, and infrastructure. Reports by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), UNCTAD and TJNA in recent years have underscored that these amounts are even higher in 2025. The report did more than expose a crisis; it offered a roadmap for reclaiming Africa’s wealth and strengthening domestic resource mobilization.
A decade later, that call for action still resonates, but it now meets a generation ready to act. The Youth for Tax Justice Network (YTJN) represents this renewed energy. It demonstrates the work young people are doing to advance the Mbeki Report’s vision through advocacy, policy dialogue, and youth-led campaigns that push for greater transparency, fair taxation, and accountability across Africa and beyond.
COP 30 in Belem: What It Meant for Youth and the Future of Climate Finance
This year’s COP, framed as the “implementation COP,” aimed to move beyond promises and focus on how to make climate commitments real. Yet, deep disagreements on finance, trade, fossil fuel pathways, and other areas delayed progress until the final hours. More than 80 countries pushed for a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels, while many advocates and developing nations called for stronger commitments on climate finance, but the final text fell short of expectations.
Botswana Economic Crisis Sparks Youth-led Fiscal Overhaul Ahead of 4th Financing For Development Conference.
As Batswana grapple with a BWP 22 billion budget deficit (9% of GDP in 2024), rising public debt of 27.4% of GDP, squeezing funds for youth-centric programs and youth unemployment at 43.86%, underscoring the urgency of prioritizing job creation and social services for the nation’s youth-dominated population (70% under 35), the FfD4 presents an opportunity for Batswana to redefine global rules on sovereign debt, a critical issue for Botswana as diamond revenue volatility strains public finances.
The Role of Youth in Promoting Human Rights and Social Justice in the SADC Region
Apart from engaging in activism and lobbying, young people in the SADC area also use community-based projects to advance social justice and human rights. Numerous youth in the neighborhood participate in community-based initiatives that support social justice and human rights, especially in the fields of economic empowerment, health, and education.
YTJN Nairobi Tax Talks RoundUp: Third Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop a UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation
For youth participants, we see a distinct perspective, emphasizing that the current tax system often leaves Global South countries underfunded, limiting investments in youth employment, education, and digital access. We continue to highlight that failing to adapt taxation to modern digital economies risks perpetuating inequalities: large digital corporations operating in developing countries can avoid paying fair shares, while young entrepreneurs face regulatory burdens that stifle innovation. Civil society representatives reinforced these points, calling for tax rules that account for historical disparities between wealthy and developing nations. Discussions reflected a tension between protecting traditional national revenue sources and reforming systems to ensure equitable contributions from globalized business models.
