Background
The Africa CDC Youth Pre-Conference (YPC) is a prominent initiative by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), held annually in conjunction with the International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA). The YPC provides a dynamic platform for young public health professionals from across Africa and the diaspora to network, exchange ideas on pressing health issues, and showcase their contributions to a broad audience.
The 2022 and 2023 editions of YPC were themed “Meaningful Youth Engagement for Advancing Sustainable Health Security in Africa” and “Youth Leadership for a Safer and Healthier Africa,” respectively. These events brought together over 250 delegates from 48 African Union Member States, offering engagement with high-level officials, workshops on critical thematic areas, and collaborative sessions to develop Africa CDC’s Youth Engagement Strategy and the Bingwa Initiative 2.0.
The Africa CDC is excited to announce the 2024 Africa CDC Youth Pre-Conference (YPC 2024), which will be held in-person from November 23-24, 2024, in Rabat, Morocco. This year’s theme, “Amplifying Youth Voices: Youth Shaping Health Policy, Practice, and Research in Africa,” aims to highlight and expand the role of young Africans in shaping the continent’s health landscape.
Conference Goals
YPC 2024 seeks to:
- Showcase Contributions: Highlight the significant impact young Africans are making in health policy, practice, and research.
- Empower Young Leaders: Explore strategies to broaden engagement and empower youth to drive transformation in the health sector across Africa.
Conference Tracks
The conference will focus on six key areas where youth are leading innovations and efforts:
- Youth and Digital Health Innovations: Exploring how young people are leveraging technology to advance health solutions.
- Empowering Youth: Developing workforce skills and creating job opportunities in the health sector.
- Advancement of Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Supporting youth-driven initiatives to enhance local pharmaceutical production.
- Championing Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS: Highlighting youth-led efforts in addressing reproductive health and HIV/AIDS challenges.
- Support for Community Health Workers (CHWs): Fostering youth involvement in supporting and improving CHW programs.
- One Health for a Healthier Future: Promoting integrated approaches that connect human, animal, and environmental health.
Objectives and Expected Outcomes
General Objective
The 2024 Youth Pre-Conference aims to foster advocacy and enhance meaningful youth engagement, active participation, and inclusive leadership in public health. It also seeks to educate and empower youth to contribute to strengthening health security and universal health coverage (UHC) across Africa.
Specific Objectives
- Assess Youth Engagement: Evaluate the current levels and types of youth engagement in health policy, practice, and research.
- Improve Engagement: Provide insights on enhancing and broadening youth involvement in line with the Africa CDC’s Strategy for Youth Engagement and Participation in Global Health.
- Highlight Contributions: Showcase the impact of African youth on public health and explore ways to strengthen their capacities.
- Showcase Innovations: Present youth-driven innovations and contributions to health policy, practice, and research.
- Increase Enrollment in CHW Programs: Emphasize the importance of involving youth in CHW programs as a strategy for disease outbreak response and reducing youth unemployment.
- Identify UHC Opportunities: Identify aspects of UHC and health security where youth can play a leading role.
Expected Outcomes
- Presentation Opportunities: Provide a platform for young professionals and researchers to present their work across the six tracks.
- Networking: Facilitate connections among African youth in public health and leading professionals.
- Documented Contributions: Showcase and document the contributions of young African professionals to the public health evidence base.
- Justification for Youth Involvement: Establish the benefits of including youth in community health programs and their impact on social-political capital.
- Additional Engagement Opportunities: Identify new opportunities for youth involvement in health.
Conference Details
- Dates: November 23-24, 2024
- Venue: Rabat, Morocco
Format
- Plenary Sessions and Keynotes: Presentations by high-level officials and experts.
- Parallel Sessions and Workshops: Interactive sessions and workshops across various formats.
- Oral and Poster Presentations: Opportunities to present youth-led or youth-focused research and projects.
- Networking: Opportunities for attendees to connect and collaborate.
Eligibility and Application Process
Eligibility Criteria
- Age: 18 to 35 years
- Citizenship: Must be a citizen of an African Union (AU) member state.
- Experience: At least an undergraduate education and initial professional experience in health or related fields. Extensive work experience may supplement degrees in non-health disciplines.
- Leadership and Commitment: Demonstrated leadership potential and strong commitment to public health through involvement in youth-led initiatives, advocacy, or community organizing.
- Equity Statement: The selection process will ensure diverse representation, considering factors such as gender, geographical balance, ethnic and social diversity, and disability status.
How to Apply
- Application Form: Complete the online application form here by August 31, 2024, 05:00 pm EAT.
- Submission Requirements: Submit your CV and a 300-word abstract or article related to one of the six tracks.
Article/Abstract Submission Guidelines
- Alignment: Ensure the abstract/article aligns with the chosen track and relates to youth in Africa.
- Original Submission: Submit each abstract/article only once and under a single track.
- Word Limit: The abstract/article must not exceed 300 words.
Submission Options
- Policy or Implementation Project Abstract: Detail the theory of change or lessons learned from a policy or program.
- Article or Commentary: Provide a detailed analysis or commentary on an issue related to the selected track.
- Research Abstract: Present research findings with details on methods, results, and conclusions.
Important Dates
- Application Open: August 12, 2024
- Application Deadline: August 31, 2024, 05:00 pm East Africa Time
- Notification of Selection: By end of September 2024
- Confirmation of Attendance: By October 20, 2024
- Conference Dates: November 23-24, 2024
For more details and to apply, visit the website
application form here.
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