The Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partner organisation YuWaah, with the support of over 950 coalition partners, has launched a pan-India campaign called #YoungWarrior to engage young people across the country to address the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and to keep their families and neighbourhoods safe.
“The engagement is simple so that young warriors can mobilise, connect, learn, influence and lead action against COVID-19 accelerate a return to normalcy. Each young person has to be enrol his/her peers, and pledge to protect themselves, their families and their neighbourhoods against COVID-19 by undertaking specific actions,” said a press statement issued by the UNICEF.
The engagement would include real life tasks, with participants earning certification for their actions. These tasks would be hosted both online and offline in 10 regional languages.
Tasks would include training in myth-busting tools to detect misinformation; encourage registration for vaccination; and peer-to-peer mental health support by the youth.
These activities would be conducted through a technology-based chat-bot platform; an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)-based platform for young people who may not have WhatsApp or Internet; and through community radio for those who have no access to phones or the Internet.
“I strongly believe young people hold the key to leading our country out of the current crisis and towards hope and healing. If we can equip young people with the right support, they can change the course of the COVID-19 trajectory in India. It is my appeal to all young people to actively participate in the movement and encourage their friends and peers to join us,” said Usha Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Published - May 21, 2021 01:14 am IST
