PwC India today announced the launch of a strategic collaboration with UNICEF and YuWaah (Generation Unlimited in India) to help bridge the digital gap and help upskill 300 million young people in India over the next 10 years and enable them to emerge as changemakers in society. Kiren Rijiju, Honourable Minister of State (IC), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and Ms. Usha Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, were present during the launch. This announcement is part of PwC’s global collaboration with UNICEF in support of Generation Unlimited; a multi-sector partnership aimed at helping 1.8 billion young people transition from school to work by 2030.
At the global level, the collaboration is focused on upskilling millions of young people around the world, including youth who lack opportunities to participate in the digital world. The collaboration in India brings together PwC, UNICEF and YuWaah’s complementary strengths and represents a significant milestone for PwC’s global programme, New world. New skills, which is driven by the need for everyone to upskill so they can thrive in the digital world.
As per UNICEF data highlighted in a recent publication co-authored with PwC, “Stepping forward: Connecting today’s youth to the digital future”, of the 1.2 billion young people in the world today, around 463 million were unable to access remote learning when schools closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, one in six young people have stopped working since the beginning of the outbreak. Young people, especially young women and girls, who do not have reliable access to the internet, technology or devices, and those who lack digital skills and acumen have been hit particularly hard.
The programme will act as a catalyst by working with a range of stakeholders, both public and private, on a youth engagement platform aimed at creating a wider impact and equitable opportunities for young people through enhanced employability and earnings potential. It will also provide them with pathways to emerge as active changemakers in society.
PwC India will be providing broad support for this programme across three pillars: Economic Opportunities and Employability, 21st Century Skilling and Learning, and Youth Engagement. Instead of focusing on specific sectors, the programme aims to improve young people’s multi-literacy, interpersonal and social skills, among others, which will prepare them to have a more rounded development for a better future.
According to the Ministry of Statistics and Program implementation, Government of India estimates, youth constitute around 34 per cent of the total population of India, translating to around 450 million youth.
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